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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27850894">Muted Melancholy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reltic/pseuds/Reltic'>Reltic</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abusive Ex, Alpha!Hyunjin, Alpha!Jisung, Alpha!Seungmin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Beta!Changbin, CEO!BangChan, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lee Felix-centric (Stray Kids), M/M, Mentioned TOMORROW X TOGETHER Ensemble, Mute!Felix, OT8, Omega Verse, Panic Attacks, Polyamory, Producer!Changbin, Subdrop, Subspace, Yeonjun &amp; Soobin &amp; Felix BFF's, alpha!chan, beta!jeongin, mute character, omega!felix, omega!minho, past abusive relationship, producer!jisung</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:14:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>72,946</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27850894</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reltic/pseuds/Reltic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix was a male omega living in an alpha's world, surviving off of the last of his savings and hoping to make ends meet.</p><p>Bang Entertainment was hiring janitors, and the pack who owns said entertainment company may have found their missing piece in a certain male omega.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Everyone &amp; Everyone, Everyone/Everyone, Lee Felix (Stray Kids) &amp; Everyone, Lee Felix (Stray Kids)/Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>276</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1018</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a cloudy Thursday, at 4 PM in the afternoon and just a few hours away from the normal evening rush hour traffic, when Felix found himself anxiously shaking his leg in the cramped waiting room of an up and coming entertainment company.</p><p>His movement was jiggling the table beside him, but Felix didn’t have the will to stop his jittering limbs. His nerves were heightened, his instincts running rampant, because he was running out of options. This was originally his last case scenario, after all he figured he would have found a job by now. But he was four months unemployed, living in the cold of his apartment without the luxury of heat, and alone in the big city of Seoul.</p><p>He was desperate for work.</p><p>The carpet was an old gray pattern that mimicked styles from what Felix would imagine belonged in an alternate universe without personalization, the walls were an ugly faded blue, and the hanging pictures looked as if they hadn’t been dusted in days. He was the only one in the tiny space, and subsequently the only one pretending to admire the sparse decoration if only to appease the lady who had greeted him by the front desk when he arrived. He could literally smell the dust particles from his seat, but he held back his disgust just in case the grumpy lady was looking at him. He couldn’t risk someone hating him when he’s hardly been here ten minutes.</p><p>It wasn’t an absolute devastation that he was the only one subjected to the horrid state of such a waiting room, because that meant he was also the only one applying for a job. If no one else had arrived, it only meant less competition for Felix. And “competition” was not something Felix could confidently say he would be able to handle.</p><p>Partially because he had the confidence level of a Chihuahua facing a German Shepard, and partially because he was an omega looking for work in an Alpha dominated world.</p><p>And probably partially because he was a mute, which only made everything he did just <em> that </em> much harder.</p><p>The front desk lady was eyeing him, probably criticizing his hair color or his skin tone, or god forbid the black collar that adorned his neck. It was an eye catcher, maybe a conversation starter for any omegas who found themselves in a bar or club, as the sign of a collar signified lower rankings in the societal hierarchy. It was a blatant sign telling every wolf you were an omega, and if you wore a tag, what pack you were a part of.</p><p>It was a stupid law, one that has kept many businesses from hiring Felix purely because of his omega standing. No one wanted someone unreliable, and omegas were just that to any average business owner.</p><p>An omega is built for pups, which meant omegas wouldn’t stay. They would leave to start a family, leaving a business with a black hole where the omega used to be until they filled their shoes with a suitable new hire. It was illegal, as was judging a wolf by the collar they had fasted over their throat by the first meeting, yet that didn’t stop employers from sending Felix off with a poorly made excuse.</p><p>It didn’t matter that Felix didn’t care for pups, that he would give up the possibility of mating or joining a pack if it meant he could get a decent job with benefits and a maintainable wage. He would sacrifice his vacation time, work long hours, and keep up with the Alphas if it meant he could provide for himself. He just needed a chance, needed someone to see past his collar and actually look at him as a person rather than an Omega.</p><p>Yet he was still turned away from each interview, metaphorical tail between his legs as he tried to keep his simmering anger and overwhelming disappointment from tainting his scent.</p><p>This was his fourth interview of the week, and his twentieth of the month, yet his standards were only dropping with each rejection. He was knee deep in debt, drowning in bills, and dangerously close to being kicked out of his shitty apartment. He was a stones throw away from being left to fend for himself on the streets, which was no place an omega wanted to find themselves. It was far too risky, and the omega shelters were filling up rather fast during the winter. Perhaps that was why he was 20 years old, in the prime of his life, and applying to be a janitor at an entertainment company rather than something more advantageous.</p><p>He did say he would do anything at this point.</p><p>“Lee Yongbok?” A middle aged man stepped out of the doorway, a beta scent of sea salt lingering on his person as he made an effort to scan the empty room before landing on Felix, “Are you ready?”</p><p>Felix stood quickly with a quick nod of his head, his hand clutching onto the yellow notebook he brought with him as he followed the beta into the office behind him. As he passed the threshold the sea salt was much more prominent, and Felix had to admit it was a bit too strong for him. He hadn’t been in close contact with wolves lately, especially ones that don’t use scent blockers. The beta, Mr. Choi according to the name card draped over his shoulders, sat down behind the desk as he gestured towards the empty seat in front of him, “Please, have a seat.”</p><p>Felix instantly obeyed, sitting straight up in the chair with his hands politely clasped atop the notebook on his lap. The way he sat brought a lot of attention to his collar which wasn’t quite hidden by the dress shirt and tie he had on. Mr. Choi wasn’t subtle when he noticed the accessory, nor did he react abnormally to the discovery. Surprise and doubt were instantly plastered over his face, and took everything in Felix’s power to keep his frustration contained.</p><p>He just wanted a chance, but too many people made up their mind at the first glance.</p><p>“So Mr. Lee,” The beta straightened the polka dotted tie he wore over his beige button up shirt, though even after he finished he had left it crooked in the opposite direction, “I understand you’re interested in the Janitorial Position. Is that correct?”</p><p>Felix nodded in affirmation rather than responded verbally, which he could tell was a bit off putting for the beta. Especially when he gave the omega a bewildered gawk before quickly schooling his expression into something more appropriate, “Right, well then. Let's start with a few questions. I believe you stated you're an omega?”</p><p>He had to hold back his sigh. As if the collar hadn’t answered that question in itself.</p><p>Instead of nodding again, Felix raised his palm in the air as he opened his yellow notebook. He had a prewritten response prepared for the interview but he quickly added another sentence as he ignored the awkward shifting from Mr. Choi. After the last letter was written, Felix retraced his pen and held the notebook out for the other to take with a plastic smile. He needed Mr. Choi to like him, and if he was a bit of a suck up to achieve that so be it.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Thank you for this opportunity. I would like to inform you that I am mute and cannot speak. This will not interfere with my work if you can allow me to respond by pen and paper. Is this an acceptable form of communication?</em> </b>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Also, yes I am an omega.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh,” Mr. Choi blinked down at the paper with a quick awkward glance up at Felix’s proper form, “I see. Um, well Mr. Lee… How does your pack feel about you working around chemicals?”</p><p>There was an awkward moment of silence where both men stared at each other, until Felix reached over to retrieve his notebook and Mr. Choi hastally tried to return it after realizing he had held on to it for too long.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I don’t have a pack and I don’t mind chemicals. My status will not affect my position.</em> </b>
</p><p>“No pack?” Mr. Choi mumbled under his breath, pulling the notebook closer to his face as if he was struggling to comprehend the words sprawled over the lines. It was rather rare for an omega to be packless, Felix has heard about how much of an anomaly he was for the past five years after all. It was much harder to get practically anything accomplished without a pack to support him, but as far as he was concerned packs were out of the picture and would remain that way regardless of how difficult it made things.</p><p>Mr. Choi pulled back from the notebook, inspected the omega in front of him - including the black collar he wore that was lacking a pack tag, “You’re a packless omega.”</p><p>Felix settled for a simple nod as he reached back for the notebook.</p><p>“Can’t say I’ve seen that before,” Mr. Choi cleared his throat as he handed back the notebook, “But that sure does make half of my questions pointless. There’s no one that signs off for you? No guardians or related pack that claims you for government papers or medical emergencies?”</p><p><b> <em>No</em> </b> <em> , </em>Felix wrote on the page. Mr. Choi bit his lip in consideration, seemingly debating on what to say before finally spitting out his sentence in an apologetic tone, “I only ask because some alphas have issues with chemicals and heavy labor on Omegas leading to infertility. I don’t want any angry alphas pounding on my door months down the line because you fail to conceive.”</p><p>Felix kept his face stoic, holding back the grimace just under his skin, and wrote an additional sentence.</p><p>
  <b> <em>There are no alphas in my life and I don’t plan on adding any. If you give me this job, there will be no issues.</em> </b>
</p><p>He wasn’t lying, he hadn’t had close contact with Alphas other than the people he had had job interviews for. His pool of friends was rather shallow and only included the alley cat by his apartment building. His family was about as close to him as the grand canyon was to Korea, and he hadn’t had any interest in dating since the time he was still verbal.</p><p>The last time he spoke was to tell an Alpha to fuck off.</p><p>“Okay, that may make my next question a bit simpler,” Mr. Choi leaned back his chair, still looking rather surprised by the turn out of this interview but a bit more relaxed after being reassured by the nonexistent alphas in Felix life ready to wreak havoc on the poor guy just for hiring an omega, “I need confirmation that you won’t be leaving this position within at least the next year solely due to the intention of having pups, not including regularly scheduled heats or any special circumstances that result in you leaving your position. This is just to make sure you can be a reliable hire for the next year or so.”</p><p>Felix perked up at the question, because the way it was worded sounded a lot like Mr. Choir was still considering hiring Felix regardless of his peculiar situation. The omega quickly scribbled down his answer and passed it over.</p><p><b> <em>I will be a dedicated employee and have no future plans to have pups. I will not be having them any time soon</em> </b> <em> . </em></p><p>“Good,” Mr. Choi smiled, breathing out an obvious sigh of relief, “Then that will make the rest of this interview much easier.”</p><hr/><p>At 5 pm, Felix walked out the back exit of Bang Entertainment carrying a stack of papers, a freshly cleaned uniform, and a hopeful glint in his eyes.</p><p>After months of searching, begging, and groveling at the feet of alphas for some income, he finally found a place that wouldn’t turn him away just for being an omega. From the way the interview started, Felix had begun to assume the visit to the office building would be in vain. That he would be shown the door nearly seconds after Mr. Choi heard of his current situation without a care in the world. It wouldn’t be the first time, even if he promised his work ethic wouldn’t dwindle due to the desire to breed or that his status wouldn’t affect his position, he was given baseless excuses.</p><p>Some might say he was putting his eggs in the wrong basket. An Omega like him would be able to make a decent living as a model, an actor, or even a pornstar would be a relatively good line of work for him. Omegas dominated the entertainment industry and often thrived in the environment. It was project by project, and if an Omega decided to have a litter of pups after finishing up a movie, there was no obligation to put in maternity leave and there wasn’t a company responsible to fill a necessary position. An omega could always eventually return to the spot light whenever they wanted. But Felix didn’t want to plaster his naked body on the internet and he didn’t have a good relationship with his voice right now so movies were out of the question. Modeling was something he figured he <em> could </em>do but he had confidence the size of a fly.</p><p>It wasn’t hard for an Omega to get a job. What was hard was a packless Omega getting any respectable job that paid a salary and provided competitive benefits without an alpha to back them. It wasn’t legal, but many companies would turn away Omegas as soon as their eyes landed on the collars the government had made mandatory centuries ago. Being packless only doubles that percentage. Which is why Felix had such a hard time finding a job outside of the ones usually reserved for Omegas.</p><p>But that didn’t matter anymore, because somehow he had found a job. Cleaning Bang Entertainment and the little nooks and crannies that came with it was the single best news he’s gotten in the last six months. It wasn’t necessarily what he wanted to do, but what he wanted to do was entirely unobtainable even if he could speak. He would manage, and Felix wouldn’t dare question the universe about how the hell he finally caught a break. He would be grateful and work his ass off until he didn’t need to anymore.</p><p>Felix entered his apartment just before sunset, throwing his new uniform and notebook on the table and gently placing the packet he was given next to it. He still needed to go through and sign off on various rules and regulations, but it was late, he was cold, and his stomach was growling for food. He didn’t have much food besides some nonperishables and some instant rice, but even steam white rice sounded heavenly when compared to his frozen fingers. Once decided, Felix threw the container of rice in the microwave after filling it with water and left to go change.</p><p>Turning on the heat wasn’t an option, no matter what time of year it was, so he settled on dressing in his warmest sweatpants and jacket with a blanket bundled around him. He arrived back in the kitchen just as the microwave beeped and pulled out the cooked rice. He settled himself at his table, his rice sitting beside him and his pen in his hand as he began to read through the packet with white rice occasionally being shoved into his mouth.</p><p>The first page was all about dress code, primarily for office workers. The company seemed pretty open minded, allowing any to wear whatever they wanted so long as their clothing was suitable for the weather and workplace. Obviously that didn’t apply to Felix, giving a fleeting glance to the dark blue uniform folded neatly in the plastic package. But it still gave a good impression of what the company environment would feel like, which at the moment was rather laid back.</p><p>The second page touched on company policies, all written in bolded letters and bullet points to attract the readers eyes immediately. A list of rules and regulations paired with matching punishments should any be violated were scrolled down the page, and Felix made sure to read each one carefully.</p><p> </p><ul>
<li><b><em>Abuse of pheromones or pheromone injections to influence or harm another wolf will be punishable by suspensions or immediate termination decided upon by an elected board of supervisors.</em></b></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><strong><em>Scent blockers are not required, but are recommended for wolves with heavy levels of pheromones to protect others from being affected. </em></strong></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><strong><em>Pack members who work near or with each other are not to allow pack disputes to interfere with the workplace environment.</em></strong></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><strong><em>Abuse of Alpha Voice is not permitted by any means necessary. Abuse of Alpha Voice is punishable by immediate termination. Victims of Alpha Voice are encouraged to seek compensation via legal means if the action occurs.</em></strong></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><strong><em>Heats or ruts are given paid leave so long as the time slot has been requested. If an unexpected heat or rut is triggered for you or a pack mate, leave time may not be paid depending on the situation. Omegas and Alphas are required to supply the last three known dates of their heats and ruts to their supervisors.</em></strong></li>
</ul><p> </p><p>Most of the rules were standard. Pheromone abuse was common, and Alpha Voice abuse was less likely to occur but terribly dangerous and easily committed. Felix couldn’t say he had been a targeted victim of Alpha Voice abuse, but every omega has experienced the pull to submit that comes with Alpha Voice being used in the near vicinity. Whether it was pointed at the pup or wolf in question or if it was someone surrounding them, omegas and betas alike could feel the excess symptoms for days on end.</p><p>Alpha Voice is considered taboo in public, purely because it affects other wolves too easily. Even within a pack, using Alpha Voice in the real world is almost always a last result. In private however, things could be different. There are laws against using Alpha voice in public, on using Alpha Voice on wolves out of your pack, and even on using it in private without the other wolf consenting to it. But finding proof of abuse was hard, which made the whole situation that much harder to handle. It also made it a heinous crime that almost never got reported.</p><p>It’s nearly impossible to disobey an Alpha Voice command, which is why it’s one of the most educated health lessons taught to growing wolves in school. Yet you still see depressing stories of omegas and betas being forced into terrible situations because a controlling alpha got a hold of them with his ability.</p><p>It absolutely disgusted Felix every time he saw it. Imagining wolves helplessly at the mercy of a power hungry alpha, struggling against their biology to protect themselves, was heartbreaking. He despised those kinds of alpha, the ones that think status is necessary for everything. The ones that think omegas are only used as a breeding toy and house slave. The ones who think betas are defective wolves with no business in society. The ones who think they have to battle for dominance with every other alpha they meet. They were pathetic, and were also the ones who would use alpha voice on anyone who challenged them.</p><p>Luckily, he hadn’t been attacked by Alpha Voice in his life. But he still never wanted to tempt the situation into arising. He didn’t think he could fight out an alpha, let alone and Alpha Voice. He never wanted to be in that position and would do whatever he could to avoid it.</p><p>After the major rules, there were some more standard guidelines on appropriate behavior in the workplace, how to report workplace harassment, clock in procedures, and even a map of the building. There was a detailed list of his duties and expectations, which was surprisingly long for a janitor. He knew he wasn’t the only person cleaning the building so the workload should be divided, but it was a bit daunting when his responsibilities expanded onto two pages.</p><p>Halfway through the packet was information on his pay, insurance plan choices, and holiday work hours. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the numbers lined up with the sentences, even though he would still need to budget for the foreseeable future it didn’t seem like he would be losing his apartment any time soon.</p><p>At the end of his packet was a questionnaire about his last few heats. Felix wasn’t one of those omega’s that had heats every month, or even every three months. His cycle had stuck to twice a year, just every six months ever since he hit puberty at 15. He wasn’t too worried about any unexpected heats conflicting with his schedule. </p><p>Just after was a list of numbers for HR should he need to contact anyone for information or help on anything. Underneath was a neat line waiting for his curvy signature which he had to fill with his Korean name rather than his English one, it was much easier to just go by what was easier for everyone else rather than to explain to them through a notebook that he preferred Felix over Yongbok.</p><p>Felix leaned back in his seat and pulled his rice bowl into his hands, cradling the food against his chest as he finished off the last few bites. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder, which sounded ridiculous for someone who just got a job cleaning up after a bunch of music producers that probably make more money in an hour than he does in a week. But it felt like a dream come true for Felix, like an answer to his prayers. It was the escape from his struggling lifestyle he’s adapted after his last relationship fucked him up enough to leave him voiceless.</p><p>Two years later and he still struggled to come to terms with just how badly his last boyfriend, his last <em> alpha </em>, had damaged him. He was unemployed, nearly homeless, lost his confidence, and refused to utter even a syllable. He hadn’t talked about it, hadn’t gotten any sort of help for the anxiety that plagued him, and hadn’t recovered much from the trauma it caused. He wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t have the ability too or if it was because he made himself unavailable for it. He wanted to forget, to move on and pretend his lack of a voice was because of a defect and not because the sound of his voice made his skin crawl.</p><p>He <em> hated </em>his voice, and so did his ex. He wasn’t sure if that would ever change.</p><p>He never used to be like this, a voiceless omega without any support. Once upon a time he was a happy, positive student that did decently in school. He was in a family pack, preparing for his future and making friends. He was starting his life, but then that life went to shit when he met the guy who would ruin it.</p><p>But life keeps going, including his. He needed to get on top of things, needed to get his life back on track, because no one else was going to do that for him. The first step to getting himself back to where he used to be, or as close as he was, was this job. He would do his damn best to save every penny he could until he could achieve his dreams, no matter how long that took.</p><hr/><p>“Here’s the janitors closet,” The receptionist pushed open the closet door with an annoyed huff, “Everything you need is in here.”</p><p>Felix gave a stiff nod in response, though the lady, another beta, seemed even more frustrated with this response than if he had remained silent. He was tempted to write out his questions, such as what he was supposed to do for breaks, where he should dump trash, and how to access the other floors without a keycard yet, but he honestly felt that pulling out that damn cursed notebook would end with him halfway inside a wall.</p><p>What was worse was he couldn’t tell what was pissing her off. Was it because he was a new hire that irked her by entering through the main entrance instead of the back entrance, because he was an omega working in a building staffed by mainly alphas and betas, or because he just didn’t speak?</p><p>Either way, she hasn’t shown an ounce of respect for him since the moment she laid eyes on him.</p><p>He had a bad feeling about the receptionist, Ms. Jun, the day he showed up for the interview, but this only solidified exactly what he had assumed. She was a miserable woman who had a laser eyed glare trained on him as soon as he passed through the doors. Her neat bun had unraveled slightly in her rage, which was strangely sudden and completely unwarranted in Felix’s opinion, leaving her presentable work attire seem out of place.</p><p>“Mr. Choi has a name card for you in his office, it doubles as a keycard,” Ms. Jun grumbled as he slammed the door back shut, looking up at Felix’s taller figure with so much hostility Felix could smell it through her scent blockers, “And <em> please </em>, for the love of god, don’t come in through the main entrance next time. It’s the back entrance for you and your little blue uniform, got it?”</p><p>Instead of nodding again, Felix gave Ms. Jun a thumbs up and an attempted smile that probably came out as more of a grimace.</p><p>“Get started,” She gestured towards the janitor’s closet, giving a rather grotesque scowl at Felix’s collar before turning swiftly on her heels and lettings her shoes echo along the tiled floor, “Your shift ends at 12 tonight.”</p><p>Felix stared at her retreating figure until she disappeared around the corner back towards the front of the building where she had <em> personally </em> escorted Felix to the back hallways as soon as he stepped foot inside. He had no idea that Bang Entertainment had rules about where to enter the building, especially considering he hadn’t even known there was a back entrance until ten minutes ago, but there was always a first for everything he supposed.</p><p>With a shake of his head, Felix started down the hallways towards the area he had taken his interview in. He noticed that the front of the building and more of the upper floors looked much nicer and were kept up more than where he was headed. The decoration was fancy and the carpet new, dust was nearly nonexistent, and the air felt clean and crisp. It seemed those cleanly standard didn’t apply to the rest of the building.</p><p>He arrived at Mr. Choi’s office a few minutes later, where he was handed a lanyard with a photo card reading <b> <em>Lee Yongbok</em> </b> underneath. He internally sighed at the words, but put on the card without a word. He was expecting to be given a few tasks, hear another speal about work quality or some follow up question about his packet he had filled out, but Mr. Choi only sent Felix off to complete his duties. He shouted out a simple, “ <em> Good luck on the first day! </em>” as Felix exited the office and sped off towards the janitor's closet.</p><hr/><p>As Felix rounded the corner of the deserted back hallways, he spotted two other figures looming by the janitors closet. They were engaged in a friendly conversation, both giggling at each other in hushed voices that Felix couldn’t make out. Both were dressed in a similar fashion to him, dark blue janitors uniform, but they stood out with stylish shoes that contrasting greatly with his beat up discount sneakers.</p><p>He made sure to make his footsteps heavier as he approached, letting his presence be known before he unintentionally startled the two during their discussion. Both boys turned to face Felix just as he stopped a few feet away. He waved a hesitant hand at them in a greeting, both waving back with great enthusiasm.</p><p>He could tell immediately that the two were wearing scent blockers, much like he and a large majority of the working class were, but their natural scent was subtly dispersing in the air. It was typical with cheaper brands of scent blockers. If you want your scent and status masked all day without the manufactured scented patch leaking pheromones after too long of use, you need to invest in the more expensive brands. It was something Felix couldn’t afford as most ran up to hundreds of dollars compared to the drug store brands that sold for two dollars for a pack of ten. It seemed these two were in a similar situation</p><p>Regardless of how inexpensive their scent blockers were, it still took Felix a moment to realize that he was actually smelling the scent of a beta and alpha in front of him. </p><p>It had been quite some time since Felix was near an alpha, the last one being at another failed interview that ended in the alphas disappointed stare as he saw Felix out of the building. </p><p>Alphas were difficult for Felix, not because he loved them and couldn’t control himself around them like the stereotypes describe. He could maintain his composure in front of an alpha just fine.</p><p>What was hard was the instinctual fear that riddled his thoughts. The voice in his head that screamed <em> danger, run, hide </em> as he tried to muster up a smile. It made him feel stupid every time he felt the slight tremble in his core, but his racing heart didn’t quite care that he thought his fear was unjustified. After all, there haven’t been many decent alpha’s in his life to curb that fear. Therefore, his immediate reaction to new alphas was always… fear.</p><p>“Oh hey, you’re the new guy!” One of the boys, the beta, said as he leaned forward with hooded eyelids to read off the name from Felix’s lanyard, “Lee… Yongbok! I’m Yeonjun and this is Soobin. We’ll be working together.”</p><p>The alpha raised a hand with a soft smile at the mention of his name, which Felix reciprocated quickly as he pulled out his notebook. He put up one finger with a polite expression as he sifted through his pages for a blank one and wrote out his sentence. When he was complete, both of his new coworkers were watching him curiously without even a glance at his blatantly obvious collar.</p><p>That was… strange, but a welcome change.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Hello, my Korean name is Lee Yongbok but I prefer my english name Felix if that’s okay. I’m mute and unable to speak. This is my normal form of communication. I hope this doesn’t trouble you.</em> </b>
</p><p>He watched as both boys scanned his words, mouthing along with the sentence until Soobin gave a vocal hum of understanding and Yeonjun pulled back with a grin.</p><p>“That’ll be no problem, Felix. I hope I said that correctly?” Yeonjun cocked his head to the side with a questioning glance but quickly brightened at Felix’s approval.</p><p>“I’m glad to be working with you Felix,” Soobin added, “We’re usually the morning janitor duo but we’ve been moved to nights for the time being so we can help you get situated. We’re training you, technically.”</p><p>Soobin’s voice was rather soft for an alpha, while Yeonjun was loud and brash. It was surprising, especially to Felix, that an alpha who had an omega in the same rank as them wasn’t trying to size him up and assert dominance to his lower wolves. Any average alpha who accumulated a new omega co-worker would have made the hierarchy their first priority, not exchanging pleasantries so casually without even a <em> glance </em> at the obvious signs pointing to Felix’s status.</p><p>He wasn’t wearing super fancy scent blockers either, so even if the collar didn’t stand out to them, the scent <em> definitely </em> did.</p><p>“So, did Mr. Choi give you a schedule?” Yeonjun perked up, his eyes scanning all over Felix’s body as if a paper would pop up in response, “Or do you have a sign in to the computer already?”</p><p>A computer log in?</p><p>He hadn’t had much of a conversation with his employer when he arrived. In fact, the older man hardly looked at Felix when he entered the room.</p><p>“Ah I’m guessing that’s a no,” Yeonjun gathered, likely from the frown Felix had sprouted when he realized he had come straight to the janitor's closet completely unprepared, “Don’t worry, we can help you. Mr. Choi tends to put stuff off a lot. Let’s go to the break room.”</p><hr/><p>Turns out, when Yeonjun said Mr. Choi “put stuff off a lot”, he really meant <em> everything </em>.</p><p>He put <em> everything </em> off for the last fucking minute.</p><p>The computer, which Felix was supposed to be clocking in with and receiving his daily schedule from, was a nearly 10 year old model with the dinosaur age installed on it’s hard drive. The thing was a brick that took <em> way </em>too long to turn on, it even lagged if you clicked too fast, and it was nearly impossible to maneuver your way to the thing without tripping over old furniture put there for storage. It was in the corner of a tiny break room, all the way in the back of the building, with half of the lightbulbs burnt out and piles of old documents scattered over an unused desk. </p><p>According to Soobin, the computer was supposed to be replaced by a new model a few years ago after a few other departments complained enough about their tech not meeting their requirements. This particular one has always been the worst computer in the company, hence why it was only used for the cleaning staff, but Mr. Choi had procrastinated putting in the order for a replacement when the opportunity was available. The time for upgrades had come and gone, leaving the prehistoric computer to waste away in the back corner of the building.</p><p>But it wasn’t only the computer that Mr. Choi had slacked on. Upon logging in through Soobin’s credentials, Felix’s information hadn’t even been entered into the system. Among the five janitors listed as employee’s, two of them didn’t even work with the company anymore and were technically still under pay grade.</p><p>“They left like two months ago,” Soobin had complained under his breath as he aggressively clicked through the laggy software, “They were a bunch of leachers anyway. I bet they love the extra paychecks.”</p><p>“We could set Felix under Sanghoon’s profile for now,” Yeonjun suggested from his spot next to Soobin. His chin was hooked over Soobin’s shoulder with his hand stuffed in his pockets, both boys eyes scanning the screen with tense expressions as they try to figure out what the hell to do with Felix and the lack of his existence in the system, “At least then he’ll still get paid. We can just get on Mr. Choi’s case about properly changing his name and stuff later.”</p><p>“That might be our most viable option,” Soobin mumbled with another click, “Is that okay with you, Felix?”</p><p>As two sets of eyes turned to land on Felix, the omega quickly nodded his head. Honestly, he was fine with anything if it meant he would still be getting paid. He couldn’t afford to have his paychecks mailed to the wrong person, and if it weren’t for Soobin and Yeonjun, he would have never known about any of this.</p><p><b> <em>Thank you for helping me,</em> </b> Felix had written out to show his two new coworkers.</p><p>“Oh it’s no problem,” Yeonjun assured him with a smile as Soobin finished printing out some papers, “We don’t want you set up for failure. If you ever need help with anything you can always find us.”</p><p>“I’m gonna go get the papers,” Soobin stood up from his hunched over position by the computer and began to head for the door, “You can start explaining the day for him.”</p><p>“Yeah no problem,” Yeonjun waved off as Soobin exited the room. The beta turned back around, facing Felix head on with a bright grin and an excited clap, “So, let’s run you through the day.”</p><hr/><p>An hour later, Felix was equipped with his own janitor's cart filled with new cleaning supplies and utensils courtesy of Yeonjun. It was another annoyance from Mr. Choi failing to fulfil his duties, after all the only available empty cart for him to use had a faulty wheel, but with his two new coworkers they were able to get it into working condition.</p><p>Out of the total 15 floors of Bang Entertainment, Soobin had only asked Felix to worry about three of them. When Felix had tried to assure him that he could handle more than three floors, his coworker shut him down quickly.</p><p>“Trust us Felix, you’re going to be a bit slow at first as you try to learn the building,” Yeonjun had pat him on the back as the three began their journey through the corridors until they were in the busier parts of the building, “Starting off small will give you more time to learn things. And don’t feel bad if you don’t finish. Just let us know if you need any help.”</p><p>Ignoring the guilt that clung to his back, feeling just as heavy as Yeonjun’s hand had been, Felix reluctantly agreed. When they arrived at the elevator, Yeonjun bid farewell to Felix and Soobin as the beta stayed on the ground floor. Soobin and Felix waved at the boy as the door closed, both dropping their hands to their sides once the compartment began its rise to the higher levels.</p><p>Soobin was quiet, unlike Yeonjun who was so talkative Felix almost couldn’t make out half of his words. They were content to silently observe the tiled floor, neither bothering to make small talk. Not that Felix <em> could </em> make small talk, but it was nice to not have to worry about pulling out his notebook just to answer a simple question like how his day was going.</p><p>When Soobin’s floor arrived, he also waved goodbye to Felix with a small smile, leaving the omega alone in the elevator until he reached floor 10. He had been told floor’s 10 through 13 were all reserved for producers and the sales department. The sales team would be leaving within two hours which meant Felix could clean their floor without having to interact with anyone if he wanted, which was something he greatly appreciated. </p><p>The recording studios however were a gamble. Whether they would be vacant or filled to the brim with producers and artists alike all depended on the day</p><p>When Felix stepped out of the elevator on the tenth floor, the hallway was barren. Not even the sound of footsteps tapped along the tile floor. When exiting the elevator, he could see rows of doors closed off with blinds covering the small glass windows placed in the middle. There were probably around 20 different rooms, all spaced out accordingly with a bathroom placed in the middle to divide them equally.</p><p>From what Yeonjun said, most of the rooms only need to be spot cleaned unless specified by his daily schedule. He would check for trash, wipe down tables, and dust anything necessary. Once a week he was required to vacuum inside the studios, but each day he was required to mop the hallways. The bathroom was a requirement every day, and it had to be done entirely regardless of what he deemed was clean or not.</p><p>It was only 3:30 in the afternoon, and a Friday at that, so he had hope that <em> maybe </em> he could avoid running into any producers.</p><hr/><p>It had taken a total ten minutes for Felix to find himself confused, stressed, and frustrated beyond belief.</p><p>The first room he cleaned was fine. It wasn’t even that dirty, just an old cup someone forgot to throw away and a trash can that needed to be emptied. He had quickly taken care of the rubbish before wiping down the tables and finishing off the room with a deodorizer as he left. It was quick and easy, so he had expected the rest of the rooms to be the same way.</p><p>Until he came to the next room, which had a locked door.</p><p>The first room was unlocked so Felix had assumed all of the rooms would be similar. But after trying the second door, and eventually the other doors in the hallway, the first door seemed to be the outlier. The rest of the studios were locked down tight, and even his ID wouldn’t grant him access. The little card had his name, photo, and his ID number typed above a black bar code, looking just the same as everyone else's, but it seems Mr. Choi had forgotten to activate it properly, leaving him in this particular situation that was less than ideal.</p><p>Again, Yeonjun was right. Mr. Choi really did put everything off to the last <em> fucking second </em>. </p><p>Felix gave a heavy sigh as he pressed his fingers in his temple, rubbing away the stress that was gathering in his face. It seemed everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong. Realistically, he knew it wasn’t his fault. He was practically set up for failure when Mr. Choi hadn’t done his job, which made him wonder how he still <em> had </em> a job. But even though it was Mr. Choi’s mistakes causing Felix’s bad day, all of those mistakes reflected onto Felix. It made him look incompetent, and that paired with his status was a surefire away for him to loose his job after only a day of work. It had taken less for him to be fired at his old jobs.</p><p>If he wanted to protect his position, his only option would be to go down to one of the other levels in search of Soobin or Yeonjun and hope one of them had a solution to his predicament.</p><p>A quiet ding resounded in the hallway, signalling the elevator had landed on the current floor, And Felix, being the kind of guy who would do anything to avoid social interaction if possible, quickly turned away from the newcomer in favor of pretending to secure his already secured equipment in his cart. </p><p>He was a very particular man, one who liked organization and simplicity, so even as he cleaned, everything used had been meticulously placed back in its designated spot to prevent himself from having to dig through his cleaning supplies to find anything. But as the new staff member passed through the threshold, Felix stuffed his hand into the bottom shelf of his cart without thought, knocking over spray bottles and folded towels purposefully to make himself seem busy just so he could keep himself out of conversation with whoever had arrived on that floor.</p><p>It was probably pretty ridiculous, the lengths he’d go to just to avoid a stranger, but he would rather waste time ruining his cart than engage in an unnecessary conversation with someone he didn’t know.</p><p>He listened carefully as the footsteps drew closer, keeping his head down and back facing the closing elevator doors as the heavy steps faltered behind him. Whoever had arrived was also wearing scent blockers, ones that were much nicer than the cheap plastic patches Felix and the other two janitors had purchased. He couldn’t place a subgender on the new person, only the basic baby powder scent that the higher end brands possessed. Their status was completely hidden.</p><p>The footsteps picked back up to their normal pace, turning away from Felix’s hunched form and disappearing into a room with a soft click of the door latching behind them. Once settled in silence again, Felix took a calming breath. Remnants of the baby powder scent lingered in the air, covering up the deteriorating fabricated rose scent that burned his nose from his own scent blockers. He was sure if given another hour, the sickly souring rose would turn into Felix’s own prominent honey scent and would start to dissipate into the air alerting everyone around him that he was indeed an omega. That is, if the collar and subtle undertones of honey already hidden in the rose didn’t give it away first.</p><p>With an inspection of his cart, he could instantly tell his sudden need for distraction had ruined the nicely organized workspace he created. Tipped over bottled and trash spilling into the wrong bins, it was all a mess.</p><p>Felix inwardly groaned at his own inept social skills, because that’s what got him here after all, though still began to properly fix the disaster he created. He was nearly finished when one of the doors swung open, far too aggressively than he had expected in such a quiet atmosphere. The omega spun around in surprise, coming face to face with a wide eyed staff member standing in the doorway of the only room he had cleaned.</p><p>At least, he thought it was a staff member. He was dressed far more casually than expected, sweat pants, a hoodie, and a beanie were more like relaxation clothes than proper work clothing for Felix. But this person had an ID card draped over his shoulders, indicating he did in fact work in this building and did dress like this for work.</p><p>“Hey, did you just clean this room?” The man’s eyes were locked on Felix, gaze looking down on the crouched wolf. Wild eyes pinned Felix to the ground, his hands grasping at the tile to steady himself as the new body towered above him. He nodded his head quickly which led to a hissing inhale from the other..</p><p>“Ah shit!” The man cursed, pure terror flashing across his face as he nearly tripped over his own feet in his attempt to rush over to Felix’s cart, “I know this is gonna sound so fucking weird but I <em> really </em> need to dig through your trash.”</p><p>The man sped past his collapsed form with hardly a glance spared in the janitors direction. As he skidded to a stop in front of the cart, Felix was expecting him to just shuffle around the bag with tense movement in search of whatever he needed. But then the man tilted his entire upper body into the trash can attached to his cart, the top half of his person disappeared up to his hips, and his elbows banging against the plastic as he aggressively tore through trash.</p><p>Felix gaped at the man, who must have been the same person the janitor had been actively avoiding earlier as the soothing baby powder scent invaded his nose again. The other fumbled into the trash can for a few more moments, Felix staring at him in a mixture of awe and confusion as he struggled against the waste, until a triumphant squeak echoed off the plastic.</p><p>The man, most likely a producer, popped back out of the trash can. His beanie had slipped back to expose his brown hair and his hoodie was caught on his shirt halfway up his chest, but among his disheveled appearance was a gracious smile and a tiny USB drive pinched in his fingers.</p><p>“I gotcha!” He brought the USB closer to his face before pocketing the device with a breath of relief.</p><p>Still sitting on the floor was Felix, and as the producer turned to face him his relief turned to a sheepish grin, “Ah, sorry about that. I just thought I lost that for good, and that would have been <em> terrible </em>… I’m Jisung, by the way.”</p><p>Sure enough, the ID Felix had noticed earlier read the name Han Jisung in bold letters just under a photo of his bright smile. Jisung held his hand out, gripping his around Felix’s as he assisted in lifting the janitor to his feet. Their eyes met again, and Felix was wafted in the baby powder as he struggled to get his brain working again. Jisung was staring at him, in partial amusement but with a touch of weariness as time went on and Felix remained silent.</p><p>“So uh,” Jisung let his eyes drop down to his Felix’s lanyard, then quickly looked Felix head on again, “You’re Yongbok? Are you new?”</p><p>Felix held up a finger, much like he did with Yeonjun and Soobin earlier, which had Jisung tilting his head in confusion. The omega didn’t pay much mind to it however, as he went to grab his notebook from his cart and flipped to the same page he had written on not even an hour ago.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Hello, my Korean name is Lee Yongbok but I prefer my english name Felix if that’s okay. I’m mute and unable to speak. This is my normal form of communication. I hope this doesn’t trouble you.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh crap, you can still hear me right? Wow I’m such a dumbass, I’m so sorry,” Jisung whipped his body around in a circle as he hastily patted around his pants, “Fuck I don’t have a pen!”</p><p>He had no idea when being mute translated to being deaf in Jisung’s mind, and Felix wanted to point out that he <em> had </em> responded to the other earlier when he asked <em> out loud </em> if Felix cleaned the room he was in, but watching the producer frantically attempt to pull a pen out of thin air was rather amusing.</p><p>Jisung’s gaze flicked up to Felix, his eyes zeroing in the pen and notebook Felix was holding, “Oh wait you have one! Can I borrow yours?”</p><p>Correcting Jisung now would probably have been the polite thing to do, afterall it was a simple mistake. The other was so earnest in his attempt to talk to Felix in a way he thought was best, with his puffy lips and chubby cheeks. It was sweet, in a weird and hilarious kind of way. Even if his logic was flawed and twisted in his mind to come up with such a strange conclusion, he was trying.</p><p>But Felix never got to have much fun with people nowadays, because no one wants to take the time to talk to a mute person, let alone befriend them. So maybe dragging this on a little longer would be fine. Jisung seemed like a chill dude anyways who would enjoy a joke at his expense.</p><p>The notebook was passed from Felix to Jisung, who slowly grew a happy smile on his face as he wrote out his greeting and handed it to Felix.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’m so sorry about jumping into your trash! I normally don’t do that I swear! My name is Han Jisung :D I’m sorry for assuming you could hear me!</em> </b>
</p><p>Felix silently chuckled to himself, partially at the response and partially at the overuse of exclamation points, and it only got louder as Jisung tilted his head at his odd behavior.</p><p>
  <b> <em>It’s no problem Jisung, I’m sorry I accidentally took your flash drive. I’ll be more careful in the future. I hope I don’t see you in any more trash cans. Also, I’m mute but not deaf. I can still hear you, I just can’t talk. But I appreciate the effort!</em> </b>
</p><p>“What-” Jisung squinted at the words, raised his head to stare at Felix before letting it drop down to the page again, then <em> whined </em> with a pout Felix found cute, “I’m a double dumbass! First I assume you can hear, then I assume you can’t, then I find out you really can?!”</p><p>Baby powder came in a wave, wafting through the air in a much more intense concentration as it tried to cancel out whatever emotion Jisung had just expressed with his pheromones. Most likely embarrassment if Felix could get from their interaction.</p><p>If Felix had to guess, Jisung seemed more like a beta than an alpha. The other hadn’t spared even a questioning glance at his collar, and the only people who didn’t care about seeing an omega in their workplace were usually betas. Betas were typically pretty level headed with pheromones that rarely affected them in daily life. Alphas in a rut and omegas in heat didn’t make their sex drive go as crazy, and distress pheromones only alerted them on a surface level rather than on an instinctual one.</p><p>But then again, Felix was thrown a curve ball with Soobin and Yeonjun who acted like everything they shouldn’t. It was still too early to know what Jisung really was.</p><p>“God I am so sorry Felix,” Jisung stuck his arms straight out in front of him with the notebook sitting between his fingers. His red ears were a testament to just how much he regretted the last five minutes of his life, “Please, forget about this really quick. I need to redeem myself.”</p><p>He wanted to say he really didn’t need to, that Felix wasn’t offended by his assumption nor was he expecting Jisung to go out of his way to apologize. But the producer looker about two seconds away from begging him if he tried to stop him, so Felix took back his notebook as watched Jisung's body relax into itself.</p><p>“Okay, take two!” Jisung clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms against each other and flinging one in front him for a handshake, “My name is Han Jisung, a producer at Bang Entertainment. I enjoy cheese cake and music, neither one more than the other, and often get compared to a squirrel. It’s great to meet you!”</p><p>Felix blinked at the completely serious and excited character in front of him. Jisung was a bit of an oversharer, but it was in the most innocent way. Honesty wasn’t lacking, and even with the empty hole where his status was supposed to be, Felix found himself gravitating to the strange new producer that had dived into his trash can.</p><p>The omega took Jisung’s hand, squeezing their palms together as he matched Jisung with a quirked lip. He let Jisung guide the hand shake and didn’t pull away until the other had decided to.</p><p>“Well Mr. Lee Felix, I’ll let you get back to your duties,” Jisung pointed beside him towards the door he had come out of, “If you need anything I’ll be in there. So uh… yeah.”</p><p>Just as Jisung was getting ready to turn out, leaving Felix alone in the hallway to figure out his earlier issue with the door locks, the omega shot out his hand to ask the producer to wait. Luckily, Jisung caught on quickly, turning back to Felix, “Yeah, what’s up?”</p><p>Felix flipped back open his notebook, scribbling out his words faster than necessary. As much as Felix enjoyed teasing Jisung earlier, he didn’t want to take up anymore of his time.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’m having issues opening up the locked doors. My card won’t work. Do you know how I can fix that?</em> </b>
</p><p>“Hmm, your card isn’t activated?” Jisung furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes dropping down to the plastic ID then back to Felix, “Your manager should have tested that before giving it to you.”</p><p><em> Should have </em> was the key in that sentence, but Felix didn’t think it would appropriate to complain about all of the mishaps his manager Mr. Choi had contributed to on his first day.</p><p>“Here, I have an idea,” Jisung plucked his own ID from his neck and held it out for Felix, “Switch cards with me. I only need to get into this room for the night and it’s already unlocked. I’ll take your card and see if I can get it fixed and you can return mine tomorrow. Sound good?”</p><p>Jisung’s ID was hanging in the air, spinning around from the shift to show his smiling face. Felix’s eyes darted from the card to Jisung, asking without speaking in away that wanted to double check the other was completely fine with this, but Jisung only pushed his hand a bit closer to Felix. </p><p>The omega quickly took off his own ID, switching with Jisung and wearing the squirelly boys ID around his shoulders. Seeing his own face get draped over the other was a bit strange, and he started to feel a bit guilty for having disturbed the producer so much in only one night, so Felix tried to quickly end the interaction before it dragged on any longer.</p><p>He placed his four fingers on his chin, extending his palm forward and mouthing the words <em> thank you </em>.</p><p>“Thank you?” Jisung read his lips, then brightened afterwards, “Did you just sign thank you?”</p><p>Immediately Jisung copied and cheered after Felix’s confirmation.</p><p>“Thank <em> you </em> Mr. Lee Felix,” Jisung signed it again as spoke and began walking towards the door, “Or should I say, Mr. Han Jisung!”</p><p>Jisung cackled at his own joke, and Felix may have silently laughed along with him. </p><p>Jisung bid him a good night, reminded Felix to find him if he needed anything else, then disappeared into the room once more.</p><p>It had been another 30 minutes since Felix arrived on the tenth floor, almost an hour had passed since he left the elevator, and Felix had cleaned a total of one room. But he met Han Jisung, a very eccentric and very sporadic wolf that liked to jump in trash cans and call himself a dumbass.</p><p>Han Jisung was one of the strangest people Felix had ever met, but it wasn’t even just about the way he cursed like a sailor or how he had tried to mimic Felix’s sign language after seeing it once. It was the fact that he hadn’t even reacted to Felix’s subgender, that he hadn’t even looked at the collar empty of a pack tag and hadn’t made a single comment about his job as a janitor.</p><p>He was kind, a little cute, and so understanding. Similar to Yeonjun and Soobin, he didn’t seem to care about what Felix was. </p><p>Yet what was even more surprising was that Felix still didn’t know if Han Jisung was just a loud beta challenging social norms, or a rare alpha that didn’t feel the need to assert dominance.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wooooaaahhh I've been meticulously planning this one out for awhile and I'm so excited!!! If you read, I hope you like it!</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yeonjun and Soobin had been right to give Felix a light workload, because by the time midnight rolled around, Felix had barely managed to finish cleaning the 13th floor in time.</p><p>The fine layers of dust were wiped away, windows crystal clear, rooms sprayed with a de-scenting mixture, and the carpets were crumb-free.  He had slightly rushed the mop job in the sales department, but it was already rather clean so it hadn’t needed much work done either way.</p><p>Jisungs card had come in handy, and by the time most of the staff had left the building for the night Felix was left wondering what he would have done without the producers kindness. Jisung’s card opened every door which made the job so much easier. He would have hated himself if his faulty card ended up making it where he couldn’t get his minimal amount of tasks done and left the extra work to pile on his coworkers.</p><p>But there was no use in fretting over ‘what ifs’. Felix managed with Jisung’s help, and he would make sure he never took that for granted.</p><p>When Felix arrived back on the first floor, Soobin and Yeonjun were already at the janitor's closet removing their bags of trash from their carts and tying them off at the top. Upon spotting the omega, both boys waved to him in greeting and a small smile.</p><p>“Hey Felix, how did the first day go?” Yeonjun finished off his knot and tossed it to the side.</p><p>Once Yeonjun looked at Felix, the omega gave him a thumbs up and a small smile. Yeonjun broke out into a toothy grin, placing his hand on his hips, “That’s great! I’m glad you didn’t have too much trouble.”</p><p>“Did you find all of the rooms okay-,” Soobin cut himself off as he turned to face the beta and omega. Felix could see the moment his coworkers eyes landed on the ID card that sported a picture that looked nothing like him. Where blonde hair should be was a soft chestnut brown. Where there should be Felix’s dimples were Jisung’s chubby cheeks. And where Felix’s blue janitor's uniform should be was a black hoodie that Jisung had been wearing earlier.</p><p>“Oh,” Yeonjun had followed Soobin’s line of sight after the alphas strange reaction, then realization had dawned on his face, “You have Han Jisung’s ID card?”</p><p>Both of his new coworkers raised their gaze to meet his, eyebrows pinched and lips pursed in confusion as they tried to work out the reasoning on their own. Felix didn’t really know them well enough yet, and even if they seemed nice, the anxiety crawling up his chest wasn’t listening to reason.</p><p>His coworkers seemed nice, kind, and understanding. Surely they wouldn’t mind the mixup that was the result of another one of Mr. Choi’s mistakes, at least that’s what Felix had assumed. As they continued to stare at him, he couldn’t tell where their minds were. A part of his brain was convinced they were already fed up with him, that this would wind up with him in deeper trouble than if he had just left all of his tasks for someone else because of a faulty key card.</p><p>“Felix?” Yeonjun stepped forward, “You okay?”</p><p>Felix snapped back to the present. His eyesight had gotten a bit blurry, and now his two coworkers were watching him in concern mixed with their confusion.</p><p>The lump of nerves was stuck in his throat, threatening to come up in an ugly gasp of air, but Felix swallowed it down. There really wasn’t much he could do except explain himself and hope he wouldn’t be in too much trouble for his actions.</p><p>Felix pulled out his notebook from his cart, both of his coworkers tracing his movement until he finished writing out his message.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’m sorry about this. My keycard wasn’t working and I bumped into Jisung as he was going into a studio. He offered to switch cards with me so I could still get my work done. He said he would try to get mine fixed and we could switch back tomorrow. I didn’t know it was a bad thing, I’m terribly sorry.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh don’t be sorry Felix,” Soobin snapped his head up with a harsh intensity, but his face softened as he noticed the slightly red rimmed eyes Felix had unknowingly began to show, “I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to scare you. We were just surprised.”</p><p>“Yeah, Jisung giving you his card is...” Yeonjun twisted his face, tilting his head as he tried to gather his words properly. “His card is kind of an all-access kind of card. It doesn’t have many limits so it’s surprising he handed it over so willingly.”</p><p>Felix felt the lump in his chest back down as he gave a breath of relief. He hadn’t realized how strained his fingers were until he unclenched them, leaving crescent indents where his fingernails had been. He blinked away the sudden fuzziness in his eyes, and when he felt the need to sniffle he realized how quickly Soobin and Yeonjun possible disappointment and anger had terrified him.</p><p>“I mean, Jisung’s a weird guy,” Soobin’s voice was suddenly much louder than Felix realized, which was what usually happened when he stopped focusing on his surroundings and was ripped back into a conversation, “He probably wasn’t even thinking about how much power his card really holds when he offered it to you. Luckily Felix is trustworthy so there won’t be anything to worry about.”</p><p><em> Trustworthy </em>, Soobin had said. Even after knowing each other for less than a day, he felt confident enough in Felix’s character to consider him trustworthy?</p><p>“Well, even if he did get in trouble for giving his keycard away, it would only be with his pack alpha,” Yeonjun shrugged, turning to Felix with such a genuine smile as he closed the closet door, “I’m sure everything will be fine. If anyone got into trouble it wouldn’t be you. It would either be Mr. Choi for fucking up for the umpteenth time or Jisung for giving it away.”</p><p>Felix frowned, he really didn’t want Jisung to get in trouble for trying to help him, and judging by the looks Soobin and Yeonjun had they didn’t either. Though, Yeonjun had said Jisung would be most likely getting in trouble with his “pack alpha”, whoever that may be, which opened up a mirage of questions beginning with who in the hell was Jisung’s pack alpha?</p><p>He never got a chance to ask, mostly because he felt nervous to breach such a personal question without Jisung there to answer it. Even if Yeonjun and Soobin held the answer, and would likely tell him if he asked, he'd felt compelled to hold back his curiosity. </p><p>Finding out through other means would be easier, faster, and it would quell his nervous winding thoughts that tried to piece things together on its own: Such as whether Jisung’s head alpha was actually a dick that controlled his life from his home to his work. But going behind Jisung’s back to find out on his own felt wrong, like he was deceiving the producer that had been so kind to him earlier, and possibly risked more than Felix originally realized just to help the stupid omega janitor that was stuck in a hallway.</p><p>Felix glanced down at the card that bounced against his chest as he walked with Soobin and Yeonjun out of the building. The beta and alpha were speaking to each other, but Felix was hypnotised by the cheeky smile of Han Jisung and all the confusion that came with him.</p><hr/><p>When Felix arrived at work the next day, just before 3 PM, he chose to attempt at making his second day a bit less of a disaster than his first. He followed Ms. Jun’s rules that had been hammered into his head after her noisy outburst on his first day, choosing to use the back entrance rather than the front where the irritable receptionist would be working. He had waved at Mr. Choi as he passed by the open office door, not surprised to see the older beta leaning back in his chair with his legs kicked up to rest of his desk as he watched a TV show on his tablet.</p><p>At least his supervisor had the decency to look a little embarrassed when he noticed Felix and jumped in surprise at having been caught.</p><p>Soobin and Yeonjun met up with him at the janitor's closet again, greeting him with smiles and a “Good afternoon” as they headed towards the stone aged computer to log in. With Soobin’s assistance, Felix successfully started his shift without too much hassle.</p><p>After experiencing yesterday’s division of work load, Felix wasn’t surprised that his coworkers went easy on him for a second time.</p><p>“Felix, you can just deep clean the first floor,” Yeonjun suggested as he pulled out his janitors cart from the cramped closet, “I know the back of the building hasn’t been touched in awhile, and the main lobby could use some dusting. Soobin and I can do the rest of the floors.”</p><p>It was still way less work than Felix felt was fair, but he had learned that arguing with his two co workers for a more equally distributed schedule would lead to nothing. Not that he felt confident that he would be able to clean much faster than yesterday anyways. Soobin and Yeonjun must have expected that though when he joined their team, because neither of them seemed annoyed with his slow working or with his lack of experience.</p><p>“Oh, do you wanna go find Jisung first?” Soobin pointed at the card that was taking residence over his neck, “He might have fixed your card by now.”</p><p>Felix nodded enthusiastically with a little exhale, he already felt bad for having kept the producers key card for so long. He was more than ready to give it back to its rightful owner.</p><p>“Alright, you can go do that before you get started,” Soobin shut the door once only Felix’s supplies were left inside the closet, “Just come back to get your stuff when you’re done.”</p><p>Felix gave him a thumbs up, his yellow notebook awkwardly held between his palm and four fingers. It nearly fell out of his grasp, but he secured it again before it landed on the tile.</p><p>“You can probably go to the receptionist and see if you can get her to call him,” Yeonjun suggested, “It’s hard to find people around here unless you know what room they’re in.”</p><p>He tried his best to hide the grimace that he felt was far too obvious, and when both boys softened with a look of sympathy he knew he hadn’t succeeded.</p><p>“Want one of us to come with you?” Soobin offered with a glance down the hall where the moody lady would be located, “So that way you don’t have to deal with her alone?”</p><p>Even though it was tempting, Felix <em> wished </em> he had the courage to accept, he would feel terrible if he continued to bother the other two more than he had.</p><p><b> <em>I’ll be okay, thank you</em> </b>, Felix wrote out in his notebook before presenting it in front of him. He assured them again with a small smile when they both gave him worried glances.</p><p>“Alright,” Soobin sighed with his hand resting on his hips, “But if anything goes wrong Yeonjun might slap her.”</p><p>“I really will,” The innocent look Yeonjun equipped as his head turned from Soobin to Felix completely contradicted the conversation, but Felix silently chuckled anyways, “I’ll risk it all, I don’t care.”</p><p><b> <em>You don’t need to slap anyone for me</em> </b>, Felix scrawled out.</p><p>He really appreciated the sentiment though. He hadn’t had someone that… cared enough in his life to worry about something as trivial as what a moody receptionist might say to him in a long time. Only two days had passed and he already felt like Yeonjun and Soobin were the closest people he had to friends.</p><p>But friends or not, Felix wouldn’t ask them to go out of their way to help him.</p><hr/><p>Before Felix had even had a chance to get close enough to Ms. Jun, the smaller beta had spotted him from the corner of her vision. As he crossed the rather large lobby, which happened to be empty, her head had flicked in his direction with an angry huff. She stood abruptly, flicking her brown ponytail over her shoulder, and her own ID card flinging into the air as she stomped her way to Felix before he made it to her desk.</p><p>“<em> What </em>, are you doing out here?” She demanded with a snarl, “I thought I told you to stay out of the front lobby.”</p><p>Felix blinked at her sudden rampant anger. He had somewhat been expecting it after her reaction to him yesterday, but he still felt it was entirely wrongfully placed. As much as he wanted to tell her so, the omega unfolded his notebook to show the sentence he had already prewritten to preparation.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Hello, can you help me locate Han Jisung?</em> </b>
</p><p>She had groaned as he flipped through the papers, and rolled her eyes as she realized the only way she would be communicating with him was through his notebook. It only took a few moments to read, and once she finished she looked up at him with narrowed eyes, “Why the hell are you looking for <em> him </em>?”</p><p>Deciding to forgo writing in his journal again, he just plucked the ID card into his fingers and raised it to up to her eye level. As soon as her gaze landed on the smiling face that looked  nothing like Felix, her narrowed eyes turned wide and furious. She snatched the card from Felix’s hands causing the blonde to recoil away from her as far as the lanyard around his neck let him. Her head snapped from the card to the omega that she had held some type of resentment for ever since they met.</p><p>“<em> Why </em> do you have this ID card?” She spat at him, yanking the hard and Felix closer to her irate voice, “Did you steal it? How did you get it?”</p><p>Felix could only shake his head with as much sincerity as he could manage. He raised his notebook intending to write out an explanation, but the book was ripped from his hands at the same time that Ms. Jun ripped the lanyard from around Felix’s neck.</p><p>He stared at her with a childlike fear, one that he became accustomed to within the last few years of his life. That lump of anxiety from last night was back, except it wasn’t unwarranted. He couldn’t tell his brain that he was overreacting, couldn’t try to lower his heart rate because his threat was <em> right there </em> and had rendered him voiceless once again. The only thing he could be grateful for was that this receptionist was a beta and not a rampaging alpha set on abusing their power.</p><p>“Stupid Omega. If you had any brains in that head of yours you wouldn’t have stepped foot near him,” She growled under her breath as she pocketed the key card into her dress slacks, then grabbed Felix by the wrist and began dragging him towards the elevators Yeonjun and Soobin had disappeared into, “Let’s see what Han Jisung’s pack alpha has to say about this blatant thievery.”</p><p>Felix followed helplessly, opening and closing his mouth pointlessly as he tried to will <em> something </em> to come out of his useless vocal cords in his defense. He wanted to say he didn’t <em> steal </em> anything, to tell this lady that he meant no harm, but his throat closed up on him. He wasn’t even sure if his voice <em> worked </em> anymore, and he couldn’t bring himself to try and force the words out of his mouth.</p><p>Instead, he bit his lip as he was forced into an elevator. Ms. Jun used Jisung’s card to access the fifteenth floor, which had Felix questioning <em> why </em> she didn’t use her own card, and tapped her foot impatiently as the elevator climbed the building. Whoever Jisung’s pack alpha was must work in the company, which made Yeonjun and Soobin’s comment from yesterday make more sense. He had no idea who it was, or if this alpha was going to take the receptionists word before his own, and that terrified him.</p><p>He just got this job, he couldn’t afford to lose it on the second day.</p><p>The elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor, opening up to a small carpeted hallway. The first thing he noticed was how <em> nice </em> the interior was. Everything was new and updated from the carpet to the wall paint, but still a sleek modern style with minimal decoration. The hallway wasn’t too long, holding about five other doors, which made the alpha dressed in a blue jumpsuit stand out quickly. </p><p>Felix immediately made eye contact with Soobin, who was wiping down chairs lining the walls. The alpha looks confused for a moment as he slowed down his strokes and subconsciously rose to watch the two. Until Ms. Jun continued to drag Felix toward one of the doorways and Soobin’s expression turned solemn, almost apologetic as he witnessed the aggressive push and pull of Ms. Jun’s anger.</p><p>They entered a small lobby that mimicked the style of the hallway with another receptionist guarding a closed door. She welcomed them with a smile, behaving much more professional and polite than Ms. Jun had ever acted towards him. Felix tried to follow through with his own greeting, but he was sure his smile looked just as forced as it felt.</p><p>“Hello, how can I help you two,” Her gaze fluttered to the death grip around Felix’s wrist with concern, then climbed up to the irate beta that had dragged him there.</p><p>“I have something urgent that needs to be brought to Mr. Bang’s attention,” Ms. Jun yanked Felix closer to the desk, shooting him a glare that Felix shrunk away from.</p><p><em> Mr. Bang? </em> Felix’s gaze shot towards the closed door behind the nicer lady, one that was a shiny black with it’s own front desk. One that was on the top floor of the entire building, a building named <em> Bang Entertainment </em> . And Ms. Jun was asking to speak to <em> Mr. Bang </em>?</p><p>He wasn’t just going to be getting in trouble with Jisung’s pack alpha, but the CEO of the entire company?</p><p>Well, fuck his luck.</p><p>“Mr. Bang cannot take any walk in appointments at this time,” The slight scent of fake lilies this other woman pulsed into the air wasn’t overbearing, indicating her use of scent blockers. The other lady spoke calmly, her manicured hands placed delicately over each other, “I can leave a message for him and see what I can do.”</p><p>“I don’t think you understand the severity of this situation,” Ms. Jun’s hold on Felix’s wrist tightened as she jerked his arm in the air, “This involves Mr. Bang’s pack <em> safety </em> , and this <em> omega </em> is the threat.”</p><p>He flinched at the words, his free hand instinctively rising to grab at the faux leather collar he’s had to wear for the past six years. He <em> loathed </em> what it signified, what it meant for his impression on others and opportunities in life, but most of all he cursed the hand life had dealt him. Every day he woke up wishing he could pretend he didn’t have a collar to attach to his neck, that he had a family that cared about him or a pack to love, that people could look past the scent of honey and black tagless collar when he entered their field of vision instead of boiling him down to <em> omega </em>.</p><p>He wished he had a voice, that he could stand up for himself, that alpha’s didn’t scare the shit out of him. He wished he could be normal instead of that packless omega that no one wanted because he was <em> damaged </em>.</p><p>Felix peeked at the more likable woman in front of them, who ever since they arrived had remained cordial. However, as her stare turned more impatient Felix began to notice the increased scent of lilies saturating the room. She gave another pointed look at Ms. Jun’s nails digging into Felix’s skin, “I don’t think referring to an employee by their subgender is appropriate. I suggest you refrain from such in the future. However, I will try to see if Mr. Bang can see you now.”</p><p>“<em> Thank you </em>,” Ms. Jun sneered back at her as the receptionist pulled up her landline phone and dialed an extension.</p><p>The other receptionist sighed to herself, flashing Felix a weak smile before picking up her desk phone. Felix kept his head down as she spoke into the phone, trying to settle his erratic breathing while simultaneously attempting to block the view of his collar with his chin. Though he knew deep down it was pointless. Scent blockers or not, he knew his scent reflected his subgender along with his inner turmoil even if it was mixed with his fabricated sour rose. </p><p>There was no way he was going to be leaving that office with his job intact, and he knew it. The moment Mr. Bang’s sights landed on his collar, as soon as he saw Jisung’s ID card, as soon as Ms. Jun tried to tell him that he stole from someone in the CEO’s pack…</p><p>He was done for, and he could only hope it wouldn’t end with him getting arrested.</p><p>There was a click of the receptionist dropping her desk phone back into place, “He’ll see you in just a moment.”</p><p>Seconds later the door swung open, revealing a man that screamed alpha in every which way. From his sharp physique to the scent of winter pine leaking from the doorway. His brown hair was roughly combed to the side as the natural curls fought against whatever he used to style it in the morning, but it still looked professional. His dress shirt was untucked, but still buttoned up with a nice black tie pushed up just under his top button. It seemed far more casual than Felix was expecting, but if this was really Jisung’s head alpha then he shouldn’t be surprised as both men seemed content to wear whatever the hell they wanted.</p><p>Which, if Mr. Bang really is the CEO, then Felix’s supposed he had every right to dress how he wanted. Especially if he was going to look that good while doing it.</p><p>The alpha didn’t seem to bother with scent blockers, which Felix could understand why considering he owned the entire fucking building. But his scent also wasn’t oppressive, nor was it too musky or dominating. It was soft in an entirely un-alpha like way while still maintaining its place in the hierarchy. There wasn’t an aggressive pulse of alpha trailing through the office, sneaking up on unsuspecting people to alert them of his presence. If anything, it seemed he was making an effort to contain it to himself instead of encouraging it to spread amongst them.</p><p>“Ah, Ms. Jun,” Mr. Bang had his hands tucked in his pockets, his eyebrows raised as he took in the two employees that had intruded into his space, “Why don’t you two come in.”</p><p>“Gladly,” Ms. Jun stalked forward, leaving Felix with no choice but to follow as the beta used his arm as a leash.</p><p>Mr. Bang remained in the doorway as they passed, following them with his eyes as they marched into the office. Felix knew he could smell the fear leaking through the omegas scent blockers, and when he was nearly three inches away from the alpha he was sure that fear spiked. Though he couldn’t force it down, couldn’t mask it with something less attention grabbing because the fear overpowered anything he could try to replace it with.</p><p>The only thing he could was try to repress it as much as possible and hope the rose would cover up most of the distress he was feeling.</p><p>The office was large, equipped with a sofa and coffee machine that rested on a small counter. He had an entire mini kitchenette in his office, but Felix figured as a CEO he probably spent many long nights in the office. It felt roomy with various trinkets scattered along wall shelves and a pile of mismatched jackets haphazardly thrown over an arm chair tucked in the corner. Half of the jackets looked smaller than others, most likely belonging to his other pack members who happened to visit him during work hours.</p><p>Mr. Bang approached them casually, his hands still shoved into his pant pockets as he sauntered up to his desk. Felix awkwardly shuffled in his place, pointedly ignoring the eyes that scanned the claws puncturing his skin or the disapproving stare the alpha had adopted upon the discovery.</p><p>“Please, sit,” Mr. Bang gestured to the two seats in front of his desk, intending to wait for his two guests to sit before he joined them.</p><p>Ms. Jun obliged, guiding Felix down by force as well. The omega sat as quietly as possible, unknowingly curling into himself to the best of his ability with his arm still pulled away from his body. </p><p>“I don’t believe it’s necessary for you to hold him like that,” Mr. Bang had yet to sit himself, opting to remain standing as he stared down Ms. Jun.</p><p>“I believe it is, Sir,” She challenged back, causing Felix to tense against her palm, “I’m afraid if I let go, he might turn tail and run.”</p><p>He waited with bated breath for the explosion that would surely happen. He expected a snapping objection, a frustrated growl, even a spike of uncultivated fury at the beta’s words.</p><p>But all he heard from the alpha was a disappointed sigh.</p><p>“Sangmi...” He cocked an eyebrow at her, giving an obvious indication at the crushing grip she had on the janitor, “I won’t repeat myself. Let him go.”</p><p>For a moment Felix thought the beta, who he hadn’t known was named Sangmi until moments ago, was going to challenge the business owner once again. Her breath hitched, letting the glowering alpha tower over her for a few seconds until she finally dislodged her nails from Felix’s forearm. He wasted no time in cradling his arm against his chest and gently pressed his other palm over the small scratches.</p><p>Mr. Bang passed his gaze from Sangmi to Felix, though Felix kept his eyes on the ground instead of meeting the calculating expression. Looking an alpha in the eye was too close to challenging their status, and it was a surefire way to secure his termination with a side of fiery alpha to go with it. He’d already had his fill of cross alphas in his lifetime and he would do what he needed to prevent another one of those situations.</p><p>When Felix dropped his hands back down to his lap, the alpha seemed somewhat content enough to sit down as he straightened out the sleeve of his dress shirt, “So, what was so important that you needed to speak with me?”</p><p>“This-” Sangmi pulled out Jisung’s key card, his cheeky smile pointed towards Mr. Bang as she presented her evidence to the CEO, “-was around his neck when he approached me. I have reasonable suspicion that he stole it.”</p><p>Felix felt the sputter of rotten honey try to leak in the air as Mr. Bang reached out to take the card from Sangmi. He bit into his lip as he curled his fingers into his palms. The deep breaths he was trying to take to level out his heart rate were failing him, and he found himself wishing he never spoke to Jisung in the first place.</p><p>Why had he accepted the mysterious producer's help when he normally would have tucked tail and ran? Why hadn’t he just gone to Yeonjun or Soobin instead of trying to handle things on his own? Why had he gotten himself in such a predicament that he needed this job to keep himself from being one of those omegas struggling on the streets?</p><p>Why had he let his life turn into this?</p><p>“So you had Jisung’s key card?” Mr. Bang, with the card pinched between his fingers, addressed Felix with a passive tone.</p><p>Seeing as Sangmi still had his notebook, Felix could only nod. He tilted his head, keeping his eyes pointed at the desk instead of the face of the man who had all the power to kick him out of the building in any minute.</p><p>“Okay,” The alpha placed the card on his desk, directly on top of a small pile of papers, and rested his elbows on top of the surface with his hands clasped into each other, “What’s your name?”</p><p>Felix lifts his head, his eyes skipping over to the yellow notebook laid over Sangmi’s lap, still held out of arm's reach. He couldn’t exactly answer the question with his voice, and his only form of communication had been taken from him. Honestly, the last thing he wanted to do was ask the ireful receptionist for his notebook back. He could already imagine the death glare he would receive when he tried to reach out for his physical form of a voice.</p><p>So, Felix took a deep breath as he finally looked up properly. </p><p>Mr. Bang was watching him silently with a stoic face, but his eyes seemed comforting. He felt strange for viewing them that way, but the way he was looking at Felix reminded him of Jisung. It reminded him of the weird way Felix had seemed so at ease with the producer, enough to joke around with him without a care. It reminded him of the childlike humor and innocent kindness that had led to this moment.</p><p>The only difference was that Jisung smelled like subtle baby powder, and Mr. Bang smelled like beautiful pine.</p><p>Felix raised his hand, mimicking a pencil and paper with his hands in hope the CEO would understand his request.</p><p>“You… need a pen?” Mr. Bang sat up in his seat as Felix gave him a sign of approval. He fished through the papers on his desk until he found a blank sheet of printer paper and pulled a pen from his fancy looking pen holder. Felix took them quickly and scribbled out his answer.</p><p>
  <b> <em>My name is Lee Yongbok.</em> </b>
</p><p>He clicked the pen shut and placed the paper back on the desk. He decided to forgo his request to be called Felix because he felt that information was probably a bit unnecessary considering the situation. There wasn’t a reason for the CEO to remember that he preferred a different name when he was about to be fired.</p><p>“I see,” The alpha tapped his desk, picking up the ID card that didn’t belong to Felix again. The picture of Jisung couldn’t speak, but Felix almost wished it could. He wished it could repeat all of the words Jisung himself had spoken to him, wished it could relay the reassurance Yeonjun and Soobin had given him yesterday, wished it could share his thoughts locked away in his brain by his silence.</p><p>But it was just a picture, a picture of Mr. Bangs pack member, and it wasn’t going to be speaking in favor of Felix.</p><p>“Sangmi, I’d like to speak with Yongbok alone if you don’t mind.”</p><p>Felix sucked in a breath.</p><p>“Oh,” Sangmi recoiled in her seat but quickly recovered. She plastered on a grossly sweet grin, bowed in her seat, and politely stood with Felix’s notebook trapped in her clutches, “Of course. Thank you for your time.”</p><p>She turned on her heels and shot Felix a victorious smirk, one that was full of prideful injustice as she strode past the forever silent janitor. After only a day of employment, the omega still had no clue what had caused such animosity in the receptionist. Nothing he had done made her attitude towards him make sense, and as she passed the threshold out of the large office the omega realized he may never know why the beta held such resentment for him. The next time he saw her would be on his way out of the company building in search of a new career that would overlook his subgender like Mr. Choi had done.</p><p>Felix let his gaze cast to the ground again as the door clicked shut behind her retreating figure. </p><p>Suddenly the pine was so much more intense.</p><p>“Hey,” Mr. Bang called his attention, and Felix had to force himself to lift his head again, “You don’t really go by Yongbok, do you?”</p><p>Felix gaped at the man, who just a moment ago regarded them with a closed off, serious expression. Now, the alpha had dropped his stern professionalism and replaced it with a blatant curiosity mixed with concern. His scent hadn’t changed much, but Felix could tell the alpha was hesitant to overstep. He was holding back his pheromones for Felix’s sake, even though he was sure his biology was telling him to react to the distress Felix knew he had failed at hiding.</p><p>“You prefer Felix, right?”</p><p>The question was asked so casually, like they were taking part in a light hearted discussion between friends, and Felix felt wildly distraught as he remained curled up in his seat. The alpha had dropped any sense of opposition or disapproval, leaving the topic of Felix’s visit to the CEO’s office laying flat atop his desk. He observed the omega in front of him without even a glance at the black collar Felix had tried to hide earlier. And with his scent blocker most likely null and void after the anxiety induced pheromone explosion he had probably subjected the entire building to, Mr. Bang didn’t seem phased.</p><p>He was laser focused on Felix as a <em> person </em>, not as an omega, and somehow Felix could sense that.</p><p>Maybe it was in the way someone like Mr. Bang was looking at someone like him. How he hadn’t referred to him as <em> omega </em>like so many others had in the past, including Sangmi. How he respected the janitor's boundaries and kept his pheromones to himself instead of letting them waft over a hurting omega regardless of his instincts. </p><p>Maybe it was the way he <em> knew </em>Felix didn’t like the name Yongbok without Felix outwardly saying anything. The way he already knew Felix’s English name and properly assumed that the omega preferred it over the Korean one he had been assigned at birth.</p><p>Or maybe Felix hadn’t met many decent alphas in his life and he’s letting his mind and heart run rampant in the face of the first one that smelt as amazing as this one did.</p><p>That one might be more likely.</p><p>“Felix?” Mr. Bang leaned forward with his kind expression turned concerned, “Did I say something wrong?”</p><p>Felix jumped in his seat, blinking away the theories that had begun stitching themselves together in his head. He gave the CEO a timid smile as he shook his head. He <em> absolutely </em> didn’t want the alpha to think he did anything wrong, but the idea that a wealthy and successful alpha was afraid of possibly doing him wrong, and <em> omega </em> working for him as a <em> janitor </em>…</p><p>It was <em> strange </em>.</p><p>“Well if you say so,” Mr. Bang relaxed into his comfy looking office chair, but even if his body had relaxed, his face showed doubt, “But don’t feel like you can’t tell me if I make you uncomfortable, okay?”</p><p>Felix instantly nodded, even though he wasn’t sure he would ever admit to it in front of the CEO if that ever happened. Besides, it’s not that the alpha did something <em> wrong </em> per say…</p><p>He was just different, kind of like Soobin, but <em> more </em>different. He wasn’t an alpha in the same position as an omega, nor was he one that seemed shy and quiet. He seemed just as boisterous as any other alpha would be, head strong and confident in himself. But he also owned a large corporation that currently employed Felix. He would lose nothing by dismissing an omega to save a few extra minutes in his most likely hectic day.</p><p>But he wasn’t doing that, and that’s what was weird.</p><p>“Firstly,” Mr. Bang began, “I’d like to let you know you aren’t in trouble.”</p><p>Felix’s breath hitched in his throat. The anxiety riddling his body, tingling through his fingers and infecting his scent, halted in place. He could feel the tension in his muscles freeze as he tried to comprehend the words that the CEO had just said.</p><p>
  <em> You aren’t in trouble. </em>
</p><p>He wasn’t in trouble, even though he had Han Jisung’s ID Card in his possession? Even though the receptionist had insisted on his guilt ? Even though he was just an omega working at the bottom of the totem pole?</p><p>How the hell wasn’t he in trouble?</p><p>“I’m sure you know Jisung is a part of my pack,” Mr. Bang explained, offering a small grin as Felix slowly nodded along. Sangmi had mentioned that somewhere during her tirade to the top floor of the building, “And he had already informed me about your issue. I was well aware that you had my pack member’s key card before you even left the building yesterday.”</p><p>Well, that made everything make a lot more sense. If Jisung had already informed Chan of the situation, then he probably heard about Felix’s name preference from the producer as well. At least that meant Jisung wasn’t in much trouble, or Felix could only assume he wasn’t. He hadn’t exactly seen the other at all today so there was no telling if he got an earful from his pack alpha when he went home with Felix’s face dangling across his chest last night.</p><p>Felix reached for the paper he had written on earlier with a peek up at the alpha who pushed it closer to the omega.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Thank you Mr. Bang, I’m terribly sorry about this whole situation. It won’t happen again.</em> </b>
</p><p>“It’s not a problem Felix,” The CEO said after skimming the paper, “And you can call me Chan, most of the staff here refers to me by first name.”</p><p>Felix knew that wasn’t the case, considering both Sangmi and the receptionist outside of the office referred to him as “Mr. Bang”, but Felix didn’t dare question him. Instead, he accepted the name exchange gratefully, even if it felt strange to speak informally with his administrator.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Thank you Chan. I actually meant to return Jisung’s key card when I started my shift. Should I return it to you?</em> </b>
</p><p>“I took the liberty of texting him as soon as my secretary told me I had visitors,” Chan sighed to himself as he rubbed his fingers against his forehead, “I was somewhat expecting a visit from someone about the mix up, but I wasn’t expecting something quite like this to happen. I figured I’d get a few concerned phone calls when people noticed someone was walking around with his keycard, not an angry employee stomping you up to my office. I’m sorry about that.”</p><p>Felix quickly shook his head, scribbling out a sloppy looking sentence and shoving it across the desk.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Please don’t apologize for my mistake. It was my own fault I got into the situation I was in. I sincerely apologize for causing you trouble and intend to continue forth without issue.</em> </b>
</p><p>Even if it was a lie, Felix had written it down in confidence. He wouldn’t throw anyone under the bus for any inconveniences this had caused, especially not someone like Chan who had done nothing but show Felix kindness. Felix was a firm believer in placing blame where blame was due.</p><p>But he also tended to shoulder blame rather than correct it, so he supposed he wasn’t entirely a <em> firm </em> believer.</p><p>“I promise you didn’t cause any trouble,” Chan said gently, “If anyone caused trouble it was Jisung but that’s only because trouble follows him around like a lost puppy. It was a mistake and a misunderstanding, please don’t burden yourself with guilt.”</p><p>Felix wanted to argue against him, because it especially wasn’t Jisung’s fault either, but then Chan was chuckling at himself. As if he had just made a casual joke at Jisung’s expense, fully expecting Felix to laugh along in his silence. His eyes crinkled against his smile, his lips parted to show a bright smile at his amusement.</p><p>It was ethereal, captivating, and Felix found himself forgetting about the stubbornness he was holding onto seconds before.</p><p>As the laughter died down, there was a quick knock at the door followed by a small squeak as it was thrown open. Felix rotated his body to face the opening and was slightly surprised to see the one and only Han Jisung walk in with Felix’s face dangling from his neck.</p><p>“Felix!” Jisung shouted cheerfully, sounding nothing like a dejected wolf that had been scolded by his pack alpha like Felix had assumed might have happened.</p><p>Jisung scurried up to him, scooping Felix into a crushing hug without warning. He faintly heard Chan protest, and another voice he didn’t recognise groaned as the door closed behind them, but he wasn’t really paying attention to them.</p><p>He was paying attention to the cinnamon that was so close to his nose.</p><p>He was paying attention to the <em> alpha </em> that had stuck his face directly into overwhelming scent glands.</p><p>He was paying attention to Jisung who was an <em> alpha </em>.</p><p>“Jisung let him breathe!”</p><p>Felix was ripped out of the cloud of cinnamon by unfamiliar hands. Jisung stood in front of him with a flustered grimace as Felix was pulled backwards. The omega lost his footing, nearly plummeting downwards before he was caught just in time by whoever had pulled him away. </p><p>His world was hazy, and no matter how hard he tried to blink away the fuzziness around his vision it came back full force. It looked like the office was tilting, twirling in circles as someone picked him up. His body went slack without his consent, and when he was placed on a couch along the side of the room he could hardly feel the material underneath him.</p><p>He knew this feeling, had felt it multiple times before with his ex-boyfriend. It was something he experienced when they were intimate, or even when the alpha’s pheromones were extra strong.</p><p>But it never felt nice like this.</p><p>Felix remembered feeling fearful, vulnerable, insecure as his body became lithe and moldable in his alpha’s hands. He remembered having no choice as the gross sea salt he associated with his ex-boyfriend engulfed him and forced him to comply, creating tunnel vision in his mind as he could only focus on the alpha in front of him. He remembered struggling for hours afterwards to feel some semblance of normalcy again after going under for so long. He remembered grasping at his bathtub as he tried to stay standing against his shaky legs, remembered achy arms and irritable emotions for days on end afterwards.</p><p>He thought he hated subspace, something he had become used to during his last relationship. He had sworn it off after he left his last relationship, promising himself he would do anything he could to prevent feeling like that again. But this time it felt way too comfortable, and while he knew he should feel scared, he felt unusually safe. It was like a fluffy blanket had wrapped around him, and instead of feeling constricted by the way his world turned from clear to distorted mush in an instant, he was sheltered under the pull of deeper conscience.</p><p>He felt fingers on his face titling it downwards, taps on his forehead and cheeks that shifted their position with each touch. He tried to focus on the feeling of phantom touches against his skin, tried to connect with his disjointed limbs that refused to obey him, but nothing would listen to him.</p><p>And part of him didn’t mind that.</p><p>There was a harsh snap, colliding terribly with the hazy lull he had fallen into. He twitched in response, and he could hear a soft voice just in front of him.</p><p>“He’s coming back,” It was Chan, and as Felix blinked again he started to realize that Chan was kneeled in front of him. He was holding Felix up against a couch with Jisung and another man awkwardly stuck against the wall on the opposite end of the room. Felix paid no mind to the other wolf, his vision zeroing in on Jisung who was watching him with wide eyes. Whether they were wide with fear or desire Felix couldn’t decipher, because all he was consumed with was the cinnamon trail leading to the alpha.</p><p>“Hey buddy,” Another snap from Chan demanded Felix’s attention, but his calm expression contrasted with the loud sound. He was too kind to be mean, Felix was beginning to understand, “Yeah that’s it, look at me. Jisung’s dumb anyways, you don’t wanna look at him. He’s just a silly alpha.”</p><p>Felix scrunched up his face at Chan as a frustrated whine built up in his chest. He knew nothing but heavy breathing would pass his lips, but he figured his intention was clear when Chan lightly shushed him. He wished he could tell him that Jisung wasn’t just a silly alpha. He was kind, and sweet -and he smelt heavenly but that's besides the point- and he was too far away for Felix’s comfort. </p><p>“I am <em> not </em> just a silly alpha!” Jisung huffed from across the room with clear annoyance.</p><p>“You are if you pulled an omega into a pheromone high just because you couldn’t contain your excitement,” The wolf beside him nudged him in the side causing Jisung to squeak.</p><p>“I didn’t mean to!” Jisungs fingers curled around his forearms as he watched Felix and Chan from the other side of the room with panicked hysteria, “How was I supposed to know he was gonna react like that?!”</p><p>“That’s why we got you those new scent blockers, Sungie,” Chan tapped Felix again just as his vision became a bit more blurry. The alpha in front of him kept a smile on his face, and even as he spoke with clear conviction, not a hint of aggression leaked into his tone. He continued to poke and prod at the omega to keep his attention which was proving to be rather difficult, “You’ve always had higher levels of pheromones than normal. Why weren’t you wearing any?”</p><p>Felix didn’t have much more self control to focus on the conversation, especially when his head was being pushed back under the waves of cinnamon once more. His mind disappeared in the blanket that had trapped him, and the taps from Chan became a distant nuisance that he ignored. </p><p>His gaze was locked on Jisung, who had dropped his concerned stare for a genuine smile upon noticing. Felix could tell he was saying something, probably to Chan or whoever else had entered with them, but he words floated over his head. The omega only blinked as his vision tightened in on the alpha his heart was yearning for.</p><p>Which was fucking <em> weird </em> because he hardly knew Jisung.</p><p>He was shifted again, his body sliding down the couch so he was lying on his back. He was met with a white ceiling void of any decoration, and a sudden influx of mock orange assaulted him. He instinctively shook his head, whipping around his face as he tried to rid himself of the unwanted smell. When he turned his head, Chan wasn’t in the room anymore. Neither was Jisung.</p><p>Instead the other wolf, the one who had entered with Jisung, was sitting next to Felix. He held a lit candle in one hand as he adjusted himself on the floor. The orange must have been coming from that candle, and even if it was clearing up Felix’s wandering mind, he couldn’t help the desire to throw it out the window.</p><p>“Hey,” The wolf waved at the omega who had begun to trail his gaze across the office, “I’m Changbin. I know we haven’t met yet, but I’ve heard a bit about you.”</p><p>Changbin set the candle down on the side table next to the black couch, “I’m sorry about Jisung, he didn’t mean to do this to you. He can be a bit brainless sometimes, but he means well,”</p><p>The rational part of Felix’s brain, the one that had been smothered by cinnamon and was just barely returning, knew that Changbin was just joking. But the other half, the feral omega that was still running loose, took offense to that statement.</p><p>“Chan went to see who your emergency contact is, he’s gonna send you home earlier. He took Jisung with him because having him in the room wasn’t helping,” Changbin explained it with ease, but Felix couldn’t help the jump his heart made at the news.</p><p>He doesn’t <em> have </em> an emergency contact, and he couldn’t <em> afford </em> to go home early.</p><p>“Hey, whatever’s worrying you, it’ll be okay,” Changbin held his hand out with the intention of trying to soothe the distressed omega physically, but he quickly withdrew with an awkward cough, “Chan will figure it out.”</p><hr/><p>Chan had guided Jisung out of the office as soon as Felix’s pheromone induced state worsened yet again. Honey was beginning to saturate the office in large quantities, and even if Chan didn't particularly mind it, he knew it wasn’t great to let Felix stay under for too long.</p><p>Especially when it was someone from his pack that put the omega in the position to begin with.</p><p>He was already picturing the abundant amount of paperwork and headaches this was going to cause. He was going to have to work with Felix on a way to rectify this situation, and hope to god that Jisung gets out of this with as minimal repercussions as possible. </p><p>“I’m so sorry Chan,” Jisung wrung his hands together as the two speed walked through the hallways, “I didn’t realize my scent would set him off like that.”</p><p>“I can’t really say it’s <em> fine </em>, but I’m glad it didn’t go as badly as it could have,” Chan sighed in his response, but he tried to keep his voice level. Even if Jisung wasn’t the one that had been affected, his emotions were most definitely heightened as his nerves jolted together. Chan wanted to keep his pack members from a nervous breakdown for as long as possible, “We’re lucky something didn’t go wrong.”</p><p>There were so many things that could happen when an omega entered subspace and it all depended on how the omega descended into it.</p><p>It could go one of two ways. Either the omega was eased into a comforting cocoon with only their alpha as their main priority, or they would fall into a panicked frenzy filled with fear. It could easily turn into a fight or flight situation which was awful for an omega’s health, riddling them with illness early in life. Jisung could have easily led Felix into a subdrop, something Chan has only had to deal with three times in his life.</p><p>Luckily, Felix didn’t react too terribly to Jisung, and Chan could only thank the universe that the two had a chance to meet beforehand or else this could have ended much worse.</p><p>However, that still left the very real possibility that Jisung could get into serious trouble for his actions. The CEO knew Jisung was aware of that, there was no use reminding him of the rules set in place in their company and society as a whole when it was probably running through his head already.</p><p>“So what do we do now?” Jisung asked as they stepped into the elevator and quickly pressed for the ground floor.</p><p>“You are going home to get your scent blockers,” Chan pulled out his phone, “I’m calling Seungmin to pick you up.”</p><p>Chan purposefully kept his head down as he texted Seungmin, but out of the corner of his eye he was looking for Jisung’s inevitable pout. </p><p>It was entirely out of character for him to remain subordinate when Chan ordered him to do something, especially when it challenged his status as an alpha. It was just something Jisung had always done since he met the younger alpha, and Chan had always been fine with that. In fact, he encouraged his pack to voice their opinions if they disagreed, even if he got the final say. He cared about their thoughts and views on the world that might differ from his, and he would rather have a pack that had different ideas than one that followed him blindly.</p><p>So he was expecting to see an annoyed alpha roll his eyes with a groan, to smell bitter cinnamon that Jisung couldn’t quite control. He was prepared to scold him for arguing with him before playfully ruffling his hair as they left the elevator because he wasn’t <em> actually </em> angry with him. </p><p>But instead he was met with a weak resolve, and a mumbled “okay”.</p><p>Chan instantly dropped his phone, his message still typed out ready to be sent, and turned to face Jisung’s crumpled form.</p><p>“Hey, what’s going on?” Chan reached out for the alpha who wrapped himself up in the older, “Why do you smell so sad?”</p><p>“It’s my fault,” Jisung mumbled into Chan’s chest, “I should have known better.”</p><p>“Are you talking about Felix?” Chan ran his fingers through Jisung’s messy hair. He received a minute nod, “Baby it’ll be okay. It was an accident.”</p><p>“But I could have hurt him!” Jisung pulled back to face the older, his face red and hand clenched around Chan’s shirt, “I didn’t think before I acted and now look what happened!”</p><p>“Jisung,” Chan rested one hand on Jisung’s shoulder with the other wrapped around the younger's waist. He pulled the smaller flush to his body while still maintaining eye contact, “Calm down please. Everything will be okay. I’ll take care of it. We can talk more about this tonight, but for now let Minnie take you home and try to relax. Take the day off.”</p><p>He <em> hoped </em> it would be okay, but he would deal with it later if wasn’t. For now, Chan needed Jisung to get home in one piece while Chan tried to do damage control.</p><p>He didn’t like letting things fester, and having Jisung go home before they had a chance to talk didn’t sit well for Chan, but he didn’t have much of a choice. Jisung’s scent was running rampant with his emotions, and Chan knew the moment they opened these elevator doors everyone would be turning heads at the passing alphas. It was a delicate situation and Chan didn’t want to risk anymore harm to either Jisung or Felix, so he would just have to save their discussion for tonight.</p><p>“But what about Felix?”</p><p>“Binnie is with him so he’s probably growing more and more coherent,” Chan reassured him with a squeeze. There was no doubt the omega would be rising from his subspace as they speak, “And I’m going to see if I can get someone to come pick him up. I’ll set up a proper meeting with him tomorrow or the next day depending on when he comes back to work.”</p><p>“I want to apologize,” Jisung shoved his face back into Chan’s chest, “He needs to know I didn’t mean to do that. I wasn’t <em> trying </em>to hurt him.”</p><p>Chan softened at the younger. He expected nothing less from the producer, he wouldn’t be surprised if he came to work with a bouquet of flowers and a gift basket as he serenaded Felix with an apology song. Jisung has always been a more emotional and romantic alpha, yet Chan loved that about him. But it made this situation so much more worrisome, because Felix needed to know that Jisung would never go out of his way to hurt him.</p><p>“You can,” The older chuckled as he engulfed Jisung’s body with his own, “As long as you have scent blockers on.”</p><p>“<em> Duh </em> . I’m not doing <em> that </em> again.”</p><p>---</p><p>“This is all the information you have?” Chan raised an eyebrow at the old man sitting straight in his chair, “You haven’t even put his documents in the system.”</p><p>Chan’s visit to Felix’s supervisor was less than pleasing to say the least. He was surprised to see how outdated the farthest back rooms of the building were, and then he had to think back to when the last time he had even been down here had been. It seemed any requests for updated equipment had been ignored as well as any cleaning staff's schedules to tidy up the dirty area.</p><p>But what was worse was the manager Chan had come to meet, who was kicked back in his chair with a TV blasting on his lap.</p><p>“I’m terribly sorry Sir,” Mr. Choi gave a flustered apology, “I’ve been bogged down with work. I’ll get on it right away!”</p><p>
  <em> Bogged down with work. </em>
</p><p>Chan would have to look into that blatant lie.</p><p>He would have to do with physical copies of Felix’s profile, which was still far more sparse than Chan was expecting. Other than a home address, the omega had hardly anything to his name. Chan was aware the younger didn’t have a pack, as the tagless collar signified, but he also didn’t have a home or neighbor pack to watch out for him. He had no relatives, no emergency contact, no cell phone… He was a literal lone wolf.</p><p>Chan hadn’t met many in his lifetime, and each one was just the same as the last. Lone wolves were usually aggressive and territorial. They were a pain in the ass to communicate with and nine times out of ten they were the main cause for pack disputes. They couldn’t mesh with any single pack for one reason or another which ended with them eventually choosing to live out their lives alone.</p><p>But Felix was <em> nothing </em>like the lone wolves Chan had met. He seemed the exact opposite of confrontational and if he was truly as territorial as Chan was used to then the omega would have lunged for Chan or Changbin when they tried to keep him away from Jisung.</p><p>From the moment Felix walked into his office smelling like burned honey and dread, Chan had been sure of his character. Felix was a gentle soul, one that didn’t fight against Sangmi’s claws digging into his skin. He was one that didn’t speak, yet he seemed so loud in his appearance. Felix didn’t have to verbalize himself, because Chan could smell it in his scent, and that’s why he knew Felix wasn’t hostile.</p><p>“Well,” Chan shut the folder and placed it on Mr. Choi’s desk, “I guess I’ll have to take a different route.”</p><p>“Of course,” Mr. Choi took the files back and shuffled them back into the folder nicely.</p><p>“I suggest you look into puting all of that into the system,” Chan demanded more than suggested, and Mr. Choi instantly agreed at the cold look the alpha directed at him.</p><hr/><p>When Chan arrived back at his office, he was slightly surprised to see Felix fast asleep on his couch with the lights turned off.</p><p>Changbin was sitting on the floor as he scrolled through social media on his phone. As Chan opened the door, Changbin lifted his finger to his lips to signal Chan to remain quiet. The alpha obliged easily as he closed the door behind him. He tiptoed to his desk and made sure to slowly open his drawers. He had bought scent blockers for himself about a month ago that he hasn’t worn much, but he would rather keep as much alpha out of the air as possible after Jisung and Felix’s recent interaction.</p><p>“Is he okay?” Chan whispered as he peeled back the foil from the patch he was about to apply to his scent glands.</p><p>“Yeah,” Changbin turned off his phone and dropped it to his lap, “He took some time to come back but when he did he was mostly just embarrassed.”</p><p>Chan held back a chuckle that tried to fight it’s way out of his chest, “It wasn’t his fault his biology reacted like it’s supposed to.”</p><p>“I mean, you <em> are </em> his boss,” Changbin shrugged, “He probably feels weird that he literally fell into your arms after a guy he only met yesterday tackled him into subspace.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Chan walked over to the couch and settled himself next to Changbin.</p><p>“So,” The beta began, “What’s the plan?”</p><p>Chan knew what Changbin was asking. <em> The plan </em> was kind of an open ended question, filled with a lot of concerns. Felix was an omega employed by Chan, and Jisung was not only Chan’s employee but his pack member. And Jisung essentially assaulted Felix according to the law.</p><p>Chan knew Jisung didn’t mean for things to happen the way they did, but that didn’t change the fact that it happened. When Felix was awake and coherent again, he may be angry enough to press charges or demand compensation and he would have every right to do so. This could be a potentially detrimental situation for both Chan's pack and company.</p><p>But as Chan spared a glance at the sleeping omega, he knew in his heart it wouldn’t come down to that. He had faith they could fix this without the law’s involvement. And he would make sure Felix didn’t feel as if they had stepped over boundaries they shouldn’t have. He was still a person who deserved basic human decency, and Chan would do what he needed to do to make sure he was okay.</p><p>“We take it one step at a time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wanna give a special thank you to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinystreetlamp">tinystreetlamp</a> for being my beta! They helped keep this chapter from being a hot mess!!!</p><p>SO! Felix and Jisung have some issues to work out next chapter AND Changbin has appeared! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!!!</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Felix’s transition from a pheromone induced slumber back into the harsh reality of real life was less disorienting that he expected it would be.</p><p>The fake orange that had Felix scrunching his nose in distaste before was still lingering in the room, though much less potent. It floated between the familiar baby powder scent Felix had smelled on Jisung yesterday and the calm honey coming from Felix, mixing the three together into something comforting. </p><p>Felix blinked open his eyes, half expecting to see his comforter lying underneath him but instead coming face to face with the leather back of Chan’s sofa. His fisted hands that were curled into his chest flexed outwards as he pressed his palms against the material and stretched out his arms. The room was dark, and as his limbs extended to fix the tension in his muscles he realized a blanket had been draped over him.</p><p>With a deep exhale, Felix turned around to see Chan seated at his desk with his computer screen illuminating his face. Large headphones were seated over his ears as he bobbed his head lightly to whatever was playing through the speakers. There was a noticeable absence of the winter pine Felix had been so entranced by earlier, and even slight traces of it would have been smothered out by the other overpowering smells floating in the air.</p><p>Chan was wearing scent blockers, Felix realized.</p><p>The alpha hadn’t noticed Felix’s awakened presence, his gaze locked on his screen as he mouthed silent words to himself. He looked dream-like with Felix’s continued fuzzy vision and the shadows smudging the picture for the omega, but the cold draft that made him shiver reminded him that this wasn’t a dream. He was really waking up in the CEO’s office, covered in a soft blanket that smelled like nothing and a hazy memory of cinnamon.</p><p>Choosing to try and make himself known to the alpha, Felix sat up on the couch and rubbed at his eyes. Chan instantly turned to the omega with parted lips and removed the headphones from his ears, “Oh Felix, sorry I didn’t notice you woke up.”</p><p>Instinctively, Felix signed back with his fingers to the CEO, fully expecting the alpha to understand the “<em> It’s okay </em>” he had silently said.</p><p>He often forgot that the large majority of the world didn’t know sign language.</p><p>“Oh, let me get you a paper,” Chan pushed his chair back from his desk and gathered a pen and paper.</p><p>He abandoned his computer and headphones in favor of sitting next to Felix on the black sofa. He kept a more than reasonable amount of space, and if Felix hadn’t already spent the evening passed out on his bosses couch after the most bizarre interaction where he was pushed into the most pleasing subspace of his life, he might have been concerned by the distance.</p><p>But he found himself appreciating the inches between as a sign of respect, something he didn’t get often as an omega. It was nice that the alpha was thinking of him even after everything that had transpired.</p><p>
  <b> <em>It’s okay, I was only up for a minute.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Ah, that’s good,” Chan’s eyes slid off of the paper and gravitated to the omega’s sleep riddled face, “How are you feeling?”</p><p>Surprisingly, he wasn’t feeling too bad. There wasn’t an ache in his limbs from strained muscles, or a blistering headache burning across his forehead. He didn’t feel sore or that he wouldn’t be able to support his weight if he stood, and he hadn’t plummeted into a depressive episode like he was used to after long subspace sessions with his ex-boyfriend.</p><p>Everything he felt was what he always read about online, about how subspace was supposed to feel like. He felt like one of those omegas in the movies, the one who laid in their alpha’s arms as serenity clouded their mind after returning to the present. The ever present anxiety that plagued his mind on a daily basis was dulled to a light hum, the fear and insecurity he usually felt after subspace was replaced with pleasant calm and eager giddiness Felix didn’t know what to do with.</p><p>He’d never felt so happy before, so free from worry.</p><p>Before, he had been told his poor experience in subspace was somewhat normal. Some wolves just couldn’t mix pheromones with others as their biology had evolved to reject subspace in certain blood lines. Felix was just one of those unlucky wolves that would never crave or enjoy subspace, but he would still unwillingly fall into it as did every other omega when surrounded by a high concentration of pheromones. He had chalked it up to him having a bad reaction to pheromone highs, afterall a lot of other omegas experienced bad symptoms related to it and generally disliked the head space.</p><p><em> He wasn’t the only one going through it, </em> he had reasoned with himself as his ex-alpha pinned him to the bed for the fourth time in a week <em> . He would have to do this for his alpha regardless so he should learn to enjoy it somehow. Even if it hurt to pretend it felt good. </em></p><p>But obviously Felix was capable of enjoying it, capable of feeling the positive effects of subspace after years of hell where he thought he hated it, and he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that yet.</p><p>“Felix?” Felix flinched, he hadn’t realized he zoned out. The room was so much brighter than he realized and he had to squint his eyes at Chan’s worried expression.</p><p>Felix held up a finger as he wrote down his response.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I feel fine. I’m sorry for falling asleep on your sofa.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh please don’t apologize Felix,” Chan raised his hands, shaking them in front of himself with a guilty painted expression, “You have absolutely <em> nothing </em> to apologize for. In fact, <em> I </em>am the one who’s sorry.”</p><p>Felix wanted to argue back, which was a very unusual thing for him because he <em> never </em> felt secure enough to argue with an alpha, but Chan had the paper clutched between his fingers. Even with Felix’s walls temporarily trampled down by this weird sense of freedom he was granted, he didn’t feel risky enough to try to tear it from the alpha’s grasp.</p><p>“Seriously, please don’t feel bad about today,” Chan continued with a deep breath, “But, are you sure you’re okay? I can arrange a doctors appointment for you if you’re not feeling well.”</p><p>Felix had already begun shaking his head midway through the sentence, and he couldn’t help the amusement at Chan’s persistent concern as he began listing off various side effects that Felix once associated with his normal subspace experience, “No headache? Stiff muscles? Unexpected irritability? Do you feel dizzy? Not even a little bit?”</p><p>Even though the situation was far from funny, Felix found a grin slipping onto his face. And if he was capable of laughing with his nonexistent voice, light chuckles would have been filling the room. His body listed back and forth with his silent laughter, and eventually Chan halted his rather long list of worries to stare at Felix in fond disbelief.</p><p>“Well, I can’t say I’m not happy you’re feeling okay,” Chan sighed playfully with a grin of his own, “But your case of the giggle might be a little contagious, maybe we should take you to the doctors after all.”</p><p>Felix, for some god awful reason, thought that was <em> hilarious </em>.</p><p>His body shook from the force of his lungs as he hunched over himself. He probably looked absolutely insane, his frame shaking with only the sound of air passing from his lips as he gasped for breath. But he didn’t care, mostly because he didn’t think he could care about anything at the moment. He felt euphoric, like nothing could damage his world of happy thoughts and childlike amusement. He didn’t care that his boss was watching him mutely cackle into his sofa, didn’t care that he slept in his bosses office after falling into subspace, didn’t care that he had missed an entire day of work and left his duties for Yeonjun and Soobin to take care of.</p><p>He didn’t care about anything, and it felt so so good to not be constantly on guard.</p><p>“Oh goodness, you’re having a blast aren’t you, little one,” Chan giggled, filling the empty silence with his own sweet voice that had Felix lifting his head in interest.</p><p>He sounded so <em> nice </em>.</p><p>Why hadn’t Felix ever noticed that before?</p><p>“Alright, I’m gonna have to take you home soon. But I want to wait until you’re a little more coherent first,” Chan pushed himself to a stand, “I’m going to have my secretary grab some hot tea from the cafeteria for you.”</p><p>Felix's laughter died down instantly, his gaze flicking to Chan who had left his side and began walking towards his office door. Felix hadn’t been fully listening, only paying attention to Chan’s retreating figure. Chan, who was too far away. Chan, who was supposed to be close. Chan, who was Alpha.</p><p>Alpha isn’t supposed to leave.</p><p>Felix watched carefully, the light floaty feeling constricting in his chest, freezing in place as he waited with bated breath to see what Chan was doing. He watched the alpha crack open the door, and the outside smells quickly invaded their cocoon of gross orange, honey, and baby powder. He covered his nose with disgust, rubbing at his face as his overly sensitive nose picked up on the other scents he didn’t want anywhere near him.</p><p>Chan mumbled something to who Felix suspected was his secretary, nodding a few times before closing the door. Chan turned to face Felix, but his small smile dropped upon seeing Felix’s distraught expression.</p><p>Felix could already tell the room was beginning to smell like sour honey.</p><p>“Oh no, what’s wrong?” Chan rushed over to Felix, who was trying to blink away the tears he wasn’t expecting, “I’m sorry I left, is that what’s wrong? Is it because I left?”</p><p>Felix nodded with rather harsh movements, sniffling to himself as he bit his bottom lip.</p><p>He felt so stupid.</p><p>His attachtment to Chan was instinctual, Felix knew this deep down in the part of his conscience that was actually thinking logically, but it still left him feeling stupid for craving an alpha that wasn’t his. Chan wasn’t even the alpha who put Felix in this position, but Felix wanted Chan close regardless. He nearly had a breakdown when Chan looked close to leaving the room.</p><p><em> Crying </em> over an alpha he barely <em> knew </em>.</p><p>Why was he acting so fucking <em> weird </em>?</p><p>“Felix?” Chan reached out for the omega with a tense face, but hesitated midway, “I’m sorry, I don’t know how to help you without getting physical, and I don’t want to do something you’re not comfortable with. But I’m here now, okay? I won’t leave again, I promise.”</p><p>He said he wouldn’t get physical for Felix’s sake, because he didn’t want to do anything to the omega when his mind wasn’t in the right state to consent. Because Felix was still a stranger, and Chan was still his boss. Because Chan could easily turn out to be accused of taking advantage of an omega in need, of an omega too out of it to consent. Because Felix had fallen into this state because of Jisung, and Chan was a completely different alpha yet he was still acting like he was in subspace after waking up.</p><p>But the alpha had still been willing.</p><p>And Felix <em> really </em>needed a fucking hug right now, fuck the risks.</p><p>So, before Chan continued to spew reassurances from his mouth, trying to give the distressed omega that aftercare he craved without touching him, Felix lunged for the alpha and wrapped his hands around his torso.</p><hr/><p>Chan drove away from Felix’s apartment around 2 in the morning.</p><p>The omega had taken a rather long nap in the alphas office, which Chan hadn’t minded one bit, but it still required that the alpha watch over the janitor with a close eye. After falling into such a deep subspace by force, Chan was somewhat expecting a subdrop to pop up suddenly without warning. Chan had busied himself with business inquiries, meetings that needed to be postponed due to the current crisis involving his pack, and boring spreadsheets until he finally broke out his current track he was working on.</p><p>He also compiled the necessary paperwork he was going to have to fill out about the incident with Jisung and Felix, and he couldn’t help the hole in his chest when he emailed his secretary to print them out of him. He still hadn’t had a chance to talk to Jisung about the situation, and as he filled out the details of the accidental assault with his ink pen, he was compelled to push it all to the side until later because he really didn’t want to imagine what was going to happen to the younger alpha.</p><p>This was serious, much more serious than Chan made it out to be as he told Jisung to calm down and go home. This could end up with major fines, community service, or restraining orders that kept him from his place of work. And even though Chan owned the entire company, he would never fire Felix for Jisung’s actions just so the alpha could return to the building.</p><p>All of those, though worrisome in their own right, weren’t as much of a fear for Chan as the possibility of jail time.</p><p>He didn’t want to entertain it too much, because that was a rather hefty sentence for pheromone abuse, but not many of these incidents got reported to the police. It was hard to prove, and as shitty as it was, most omega’s testaments were thrown out because the evidence wasn’t there. Felix’s assault would have two witnesses, and alpha and a beta, so there was no way this would be swept under the rug. Chan had no intention of leaving anything out of the report because that wasn’t fair to Felix, and the government would have a field day making an example of Jisung to other alphas. As a warning that they can and <em> will </em> be punished.</p><p>Chan didn’t know what he would do if he had to visit Jisung behind bars, all because he forgot to wear his damn scent blockers.</p><p>Chan had intended on speaking with Felix when he woke up, just to gauge how he was feeling about the situation to figure out where his mindset was on the whole thing, but when the omega woke up just as out of as he was before Chan figured he wouldn’t be getting an answer right away.</p><p>It wasn’t abnormal for omegas to enter a carefree head space after subspace, it was actually considered healthy and encouraged to keep your omega in a light headspace for close to an hour after hitting such a deep consciousness. Chan’s pack omega wasn’t a stranger to this feeling, and all of the pack thought Minho was adorable when his attention span was that of a chipmunk and could be entertained by a funny cat video for that whole hour. </p><p>Omegas required less attention in this stage than when in actual subspace, usually they’d be fine with at least one alpha in the room while they twiddled with a stuffed animal or told stories out loud. They still needed to be watched after, but it wasn’t as dire as subspace where an omega was razor focused on their alpha and would do <em> anything </em> for them.</p><p>The issue wasn’t that Felix entered this stage, in fact Chan was elated that he had a good enough subspace to experience it. It made him feel slightly hopeful for a good outcome with the incident report he was filing. The issue was that Chan couldn’t provide him with the aftercare he needed without possibly breaching the omega’s personal boundaries that he wasn’t aware of. Hugs were out of the question, and Chan’s was weary to give Felix any sort of physical reminder of Jisung or himself in case it wound up triggering something. Sometimes Chan could give his omega his hoodie and it would work wonders.</p><p>The most he could do was make sure Felix was well fed and happy, as a friend.</p><p>When Chan had left Felix to talk to his secretary, he realized he had fucked up.</p><p>He wasn’t sure why Felix reacted so badly, afterall Chan was still in the room and as far as he knew from Minho that could still appease an omega in this stage. But Felix wasn’t happy about the distance, and Chan wasn’t sure if that had to do with what happened during his subspace or if this was just a difference between his omega and Felix. He was inconsolable, and Chan was barely holding back his urge to wrap the omega in his arms and shush the silent whimpers he could just tell the omega wanted to make.</p><p>But then Felix hugged him anyways, regardless of Chan’s reluctance. Even though it was probably a terrible idea, even though it could backfire on him tomorrow when Felix decided he wanted to press charges on not only Jisung but Chan as well, even though Felix wasn’t a part of his pack, he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. As Felix nuzzled his nose into Chan’s chest and squeezed his arms around the alphas torso, Chan cuddled him back.</p><p>Obviously Felix needed this, and Chan wasn’t going to deprive the omega from what he needed after everything his pack put him through already.</p><p>They stayed at the office for another hour, Chan holding Felix close and whispering nonsense words until the sour honey evened out. When Felix finally pulled back he looked more tired than anything else, but as the clarity returned to his gaze Chan could see the change in his demeanor. He could see the tension as he straightened out his body, could see the fear and uncertainty take over. Felix became much more aware than he had been all night, and Chan knew that his mind was flooded with information that his omega had pushed to the side for a few hours.</p><p>Now Felix was thinking like a human instead of a wolf, and Chan could see that change shift within moments.</p><p>“Let me drive you home,” Chan had offered to the younger, who had diligently avoided eye contact with the alpha since he pulled away from their hug, “It’s the least I could do.”</p><p>Felix reluctantly agreed, which Chan could only thank the heavens for because if he had refused Chan wasn’t sure he would have been able to let him go home alone. Omega or not, 2 am was still 2 am. Chan wouldn’t be able to live with himself if Felix ended up in danger because he walked home by himself.</p><p>When he arrived at Felix's apartment, he was only partially surprised how run down the area was. It was a fairly old complex with faded paint and rickety fencing around the property, Chan was pretty sure about half of the residents were part of the drug addicts he saw tucked into alleyways. He wasn’t an idiot to assume everyone in the world lived in the best parts of town. Poverty existed, and not everyone was well off enough to provide the best amenities. But it still worried him that Felix, who Chan had just learned was a lone wolf, was living here alone.</p><p>So Chan walked him to the door, and Felix was too tired to protest.</p><p>“You can take tomorrow off,” Chan insisted to a yawning omega, “I’ll still count your hours tomorrow for payroll, okay? Just take a day to yourself.”</p><p>Felix agreed, even though Chan could tell he didn’t want to.</p><p>Now, all Chan had to do was keep his sanity until he could properly talk to Felix and figure out what the hell to do.</p><p>The drive back to Chan’s home was silent aside from the occasional heavy breath he took as he tried to figure out what the hell he was going to do.</p><p>How was he going to protect Jisung?</p><p>How was he going to keep his pack together?</p><p>How was he going to make sure Felix felt safe in his company?</p><p>It was an endless string of confused worries and uncertain assumptions that Chan’s couldn’t ignore.</p><p>As Chan pulled up to his own apartment building, he could already feel the impending headache surfacing. There was no doubt the house was going to be chaotic. Jisung was probably freaking out in a bathroom, Changbin was probably keeping Minho at bay, and the rest were either trying to keep some kind of peace and order or making things twice as difficult. There was no telling with his pack.</p><p>Chan put his car in park, turned off the engine, and closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against the top of his hands laying on his steering wheel. He let himself linger in the darkness, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. It didn’t help that it still smelled like honey in his car, but it managed to do something to Chan’s biology as his alpha found comfort from the omega scent regardless of who it belonged to.</p><p>He wasn’t sure if that really made him feel better though, because Felix didn’t owe him comfort after everything he’s been put through today. Even if it <em> was </em>just his left over scent that hadn’t evaded Chan’s presence.</p><p>It was 2:23 in the morning.</p><p>The city was dead, but his mind wasn’t.</p><p>He finally pulled himself from his car.</p><p>He greeted the night door man who waved him a greeting, trudged into the elevator, and pressed the top floor where his pack was sure to be causing a commotion. He tapped his foot anxiously as each floor passed, but quickly forced himself to stop. He wouldn’t be any help to Jisung if he walked in smelling just as scared as the younger must be.</p><p>When he arrived at his floor, he stepped out in the hallway and up to their door. And took one more breath, entered his key card, and opened the heavy front door.</p><p>The first thing he noticed was that all of the lights were still on. From the hallways he could see part of the open living room and kitchen island where various bags were hastily thrown over the bar stools. Remnants of roasted coffee beans and cooked rice drifted in the air, and from the entrance Chan could hear the faint sounds of Howl’s Moving Castle playing on the TV.</p><p>If his nose wasn’t deceiving him, it seemed like Minho, Jisung, and Seungmin were gathered in the living room.</p><p>Chan was quiet as he removed his coat and shoes, choosing to leave his bag next to the front door. Chan walked the dark hallway towards the living room filled with his pack, and as he turned the corner he was met with Minho’s piercing gaze next to the sleeping forms of Jisung and Seungmin.</p><p>“Chan,” Minho sighed softly from under the fluffy blanket he had wrapped around him and Jisung, “You’re finally home.”</p><p>“Yeah, sorry it’s so late,” Chan’s tone was a lot more panicked than he wanted it to sound. He was trying to stay calm and collected for Jisung’s sake, which meant he needed to sound and smell confident. But his voice was betraying him and he knew his scent would be too if he wasn’t still wearing the scent blockers he’d put on hours ago.</p><p>“Well it’s not the first time. You managed to come home before sunrise. I’m impressed,” Minho smirked to the alpha as he slowly maneuvered his way out from under the cuddle pile he’d formed with Jisung, and evidently Seungmin after the younger draped himself over their legs. The omega grunted quietly with mock annoyance at the two alphas creating such a hassle for him, but he still smiled as he re-tucked Jisung in the blanket they were sharing and grabbed another for Seungmin.</p><p>Sleeping Jisung looked calm, content as he fluttered between dreams and curled closer to Seungmin from under his blanket. It almost made Chan feel at ease, like his whole family wasn’t so close to collapsing, because Jisung was okay. He was a few feet away sleeping soundly with his favorite movie playing in the background, he was going to sleep in and beg someone to make him pancakes in the morning until Changbin agreed and then spring himself into working onto a new track.</p><p>It was almost normal.</p><p>But Chan knew better than to lie to himself. He couldn’t let his brain twist the situation into something less than it was, couldn’t let himself relax in a self created fantasy world where Jisung hadn’t accidentally committed a crime. Where his packmate hadn’t hurt an innocent omega and he wasn’t about to face legal cases that could ruin everything he and his pack had created together.</p><p>He couldn’t lie to himself, because it was only going to hurt more later.</p><p>“Channie?” Minho pulled on Chan’s upper arms, “Let’s go talk in your office.”</p><p>Chan dragged his gaze off of the sleeping alphas back onto the omega dressed up in the cat pajamas he got for christmas last year. Minho linked his arm into Chan’s and pushed his fingers between the fist Chan made with his hands. He was staring at Chan with compassionate understanding, like he already had an idea about what was tormenting Chan. In a way, Chan felt better knowing Minho already had an inkling about what was going on. Minho was like his second hand man, always aware and constantly meddling in affairs to the best of his ability to lighten the load on Chan’s shoulders.</p><p>It was like he wasn’t dealing with the whole situation alone. </p><p>Minho was the pack omega, the second oldest, and the first person aside from Chan that the pack went to for guidance. He was the example Chan’s couldn’t provide, one that showed the pack that what the world perceives wasn’t always fact. While Chan was the dominating presence due to his status, Minho was dominating because of his aura. Minho demanded authority because his <em> attitude </em> demanded authority. Omega or not, Minho was a force to be reckoned with. Status was never an issue for the omega, because he refused to let his status dictate his life.</p><p>It was something their two betas Changbin and Jeongin had needed to learn, something they still struggled to figure out today, but Minho continued to be the support they needed to realize their status didn’t define them.</p><p>It was why Minho was Chan’s first choice to confide in, because the omega always seemed to understand. He always knew what to say, and he always knew how to calm him down.</p><p>“Yeah,” Chan finally said, tightening his hold on Minho as he began pulling the omega further down the winding hallways of their rather large penthouse, “Let’s talk.”</p><p>Minho melded into Chan’s side as they walked shoulder to shoulder. Chan was warned to keep his steps silent as they passed one of the spare bedrooms that Hyunjin, Changbin, and Jeongin had disappeared into.</p><p>“Changbin was feeling a bit distraught when he got home,” Minho tossed into the boiling pot of Chan’s worries, “Hyunjin and Jeongin attacked him with their collective body heat and watched some weird american cooking show until they passed out.”</p><p>“Well, at least they’re getting rest,” Chan mumbled as they approached his personal office.</p><p>The inside followed the same color scheme as his office at work, aside from the kitchen it was a near photocopy. Chan trailed over to the black sofa, one identical to the one Felix took a nap on earlier, and sat them both down softly. Minho made no move to detangle their arms, and Chan only pushed himself further into the omega.</p><p>He let himself smell the soothing vanilla wrapping around them. The same vanilla Chan associated with fierce sarcasm and beautiful dancing. The same vanilla that confidently tiptoed between playful flirting and straight up seduction with no inbetween. The same vanilla Chan remembered being entranced by years ago after running into Minho during a talent scouting event, only to be left stranded with a sloppy kiss on the cheek and a hastily written phone number on a mcdonald's receipt.</p><p>It was the same vanilla that started Chan’s pack, the same vanilla that greeted every new member with enthusiasm, the same vanilla that helped Chan through every twist and turn.</p><p>He loved that vanilla with every fiber of his being, just like he loved every other member of his pack.</p><p>“I really love you Min,” Chan voice quivered in the near inaudible whisper, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”</p><p>“Are you getting sentimental on me?” Minho nudged his shoulder against Chan’s as he used his free hand to lay his palm against Chan’s cheek, “Hey, look at me.”</p><p>When Chan met Minho’s eyes with his own glossy ones, Minho gently pressed his two lips into the older’s. The kiss was tame, brimming with tender love and care that only Minho could convey in just a kiss. He managed to tell Chan everything he needed to hear in the form of love language. The reassurance, the comfort, the support, and the pure unfiltered love was reduced into one simple kiss that made Chan forget all of his worries for a second.</p><p>Just for a second, but that’s exactly what he needed to clear his head of his insecurities.</p><p>Chan wasn’t alone, and neither was Jisung. They had a pack of wolves ready to depend on each other, to love each other, protect each other, and even if Chan was their leader, they were a team. Chan was their spokesperson, the one bound by law to make decisions and enforce the rules to his pack, but he was that only in writing. In the real world he was their equal, the oldest with the most experience but also one of four alphas with his own struggles and shortcomings.</p><p>When Chan formed his pack one by one, he had always said he didn’t want to be one of those alphas in the movies. He didn’t want to be the alpha that dictated his packs every move, the alpha who used his status and pheromones as a power play. He wanted honesty, trust, and love to come before anything, and he succeeded in that with this pack.</p><p>The situation with Felix and Jisung was less than ideal, Chan was well aware of that, but he finally remembered that he had a family to help them through it.</p><p>As Minho pulled back from the kiss, he could see the change in Chan’s demeanor instantly, “There he is. Where has my feisty Channie been hiding? You didn’t even shoot back a funny jab at my sarcasm earlier.”</p><p>“Coming home before sunrise is too simple,” Chan scoffed playfully, “I’m hardcore, I get my Vitamin D walking into work <em> and </em> walking out.”</p><p>“Somehow, I think getting a decent amount of sleep overpowers a few extra minutes of your oh so precious Vitamin D,” Minho chuckled as he finally freed himself from the pretzel he and Chan had made with their limbs.</p><p>“So,” Minho turned himself on the sofa to face Chan who had leaned his back against the arm rest, “Are you ready to talk now?”</p><p>“It’s not good, Minho,” Chan sighed as he minutely shook his head at the memory of today, “We might be in serious trouble. With the law, with the business, with decent human respect, with Jisung’s mental health…”</p><p>Chan trailed off, but Minho only nodded his head in understanding.</p><p>“Jisung mentioned something about an omega,” Minho gave a subtle glance to Chan’s button up shirt, the shirt Chan was certain still reeked of honey, “He asked me about subdrops today. And let me tell you, it took nearly all of my self control to not freak the fuck out when he brought it up.”</p><p>“Did he tell you anything?” Chan asked.</p><p>“No,” Minho shook his head, “I mean I got a vague idea of what went down but he didn’t want to talk about it and I didn’t push it. And Changbin won’t say anything if Jisung won’t.”</p><p>“Oh Binnie,” Chan huffed fondly, “I’ll have to talk to them and make sure they’re okay.”</p><p>“What did happen?” Minho took Chan’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles, “All I know is a possible omega hit a possible subdrop and all three of you were there.”</p><p>“There was an omega, his name is Felix,” Chan began with a steady tone, “The subdrop part was mostly false, I think. At least at first?”</p><p>Minho blinked at him, and cocked his head, “I don’t think I follow. What do you mean <em> mostly false </em>?”</p><p>“Like, I don’t know, he just-” Chan stumbled over his words before stopping all together. He took a deep breath to get his thoughts in order, and started over, “Jisung wasn’t wearing scent blockers today.”</p><p>“Oh no,” Minho groaned, but it wasn’t humorous. It was filled with concern and dread, “Sungie has always had irregular pheromone levels, why wouldn’t he wear them?”</p><p>“I have no idea,” Chan answered, and he wasn’t sure he’d even get a decent answer to that question. Jisung himself probably didn’t even realize he wasn’t wearing them, “We need to start double checking him when he leaves the house because he can’t control his scent. I don’t want a repeat of today.”</p><p>“There’s a new guy at the company,” Chan continued, “He’s a janitor named Felix, and he’s an omega.”</p><p>Chan proceeded to fill in the dots for Minho as he played with his finger tips, detailing just how the day progressed from the usual monotony he dealt with to the utter disaster he had ended up with. Minho listened diligently, giving quiet acknowledgments as Chan trailed along his story. The two graviated closer to each other as time went on, until eventually their hands completely encased each other’s once more and Minho traced patterns into Chan’s arms with his other hand.</p><p>“So, you don’t really know if he had a subdrop?” Minho clarified, “He just fell into a subspace of sorts after Jisung hugged him?”</p><p>“I mean it didn’t seem bad,” Chan shrugged as he tried to dissect things in his head, “He reminded me of you in subspace, just completely focused on whoever put you there and unable to be sated unless they were in arms reach.”</p><p>“Well that doesn’t really sound like subdrop to me,” Minho pinched his brows as he stared off across the room, still massaging Chan’s skin absentmindedly, “Did he seem desperate, or was he more like… I don’t know, whiny?”</p><p>“What?” Chan reeled back and turned to Minho with confusion, “Aren’t those the same thing?”</p><p>“Oh Channie,” Minho chuckled at the alpha, and if Chan wasn’t so comfy and still recovering from the mental gymnastics he’s been doing today he may have tried to tease Minho back. But he was far too tired, too nervous and unsure about everything, “No, they’re different. Whiny is me when you take too long to cuddle me, or when you purposely hold back from kissing me so I have to beg for it. <em> That </em> is a whiny omega. A desperate omega is an omega who would sacrifice their own health and safety for their alpha, one that would put themselves in danger just to prove they would please alpha’s every command.”</p><p>Chan had to hold back the spike of <em> something </em> Chan didn’t like in his chest. A desperate omega sounded like the complete opposite of what an alpha should stand for. While omegas want to please and submit, alphas yearn to care and dominate. It was give and take of both sides, and if one side failed to return what was given then they were better off alone.</p><p>A relationship with dynamics, such as a wolf's biological status, are always equal between the alpha and omega, because both instincts want to mold together perfectly.</p><p>“So a desperate omega is a sign of subdrop,” Chan bit his lip for a moment as he tried to figure out his words, “Do you know… what does it feel like?”</p><p>It was a topic Chan had breached once before and was met with intense resistance. Minho never liked sharing deeply personal information early on in their relationship, and Chan was never one to force. And with Minho being their only omega, Chan was never in a situation where he was left with no other choice but to ask Minho for guidance on an omega’s biology.</p><p>He’d never had an issue like this before.</p><p>“Subdrop is…” Minho sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingers as he avoided eye contact with Chan, “It’s dangerous. It’s painful. It’s <em> confusing </em> because no matter how badly you want to please your alpha, nothing feels like enough. You could drive yourself near death, and it won’t feel like enough. You can offer them every piece of yourself, even things you’d never agree to usually, and it’ll never feel like enough. And if you’re left alone, you feel like a piece of your heart has literally been carved out of your chest.”</p><p>“It’s like the worst anxiety attack you’ve ever experienced,” Minho mumbled, and Chan squeezed the omega’s hand in support, “And after you come back, you feel so empty and numb. It’s terrifying and I wish no omega had to go through it.”</p><p>“I’m sorry Minho,” Chan whispered, because he knew Minho was speaking from experience.</p><p>He knew now why Minho never wanted to talk about it before. Subdrop sounded like a black hole that was almost impossible to crawl out of, one that could lead to serious repercussions.</p><p>What would happen to an omega left alone in subdrop?</p><p>What could an omega do to <em> themselves </em>in a drop?</p><p>“It’s okay, it was a long time ago,” Minho rubbed his nose into Chan’s neck, just over the scent blockers still covering up his scent glands, “Can I take this off?”</p><p>Chan didn’t answer, instead choosing to reach up and peel off the plastic covering. His scent was rather potent after being concealed all day, and Chan was slightly fearful of Minho ending up in the same situation Felix had been in earlier. But as Minho snuggled into Chan’s shoulder, slowly breathing in the soothing pine that now smelled like pure love and adoration, he realized Minho needed this.</p><p>He needed Chan to hold him, cherish him, and take care of him right now. And Chan was more than willing to do that.</p><p>Minho was straddled on top of Chan, his arms looped over his shoulders and around his neck and rested his head on Chan’s body. The alpha gathered Minho in his arms and effortlessly picked them both up off the couch. The omega clutched onto Chan tighter, pushing his nose further into the alpha scent.</p><p>Chan made sure to turn off the lights as he departed from the office. The house was still quiet, aside from the softly playing movie in the living room, so Chan was careful as he traveled through the halls and into one of the bedrooms.</p><p>While they had multiple rooms in the house, they also had a special room with a larger bed that could, in theory, fit them all. But Jisung kicked in his sleep, Jeongin hogged all of the covers, Minho and Hyunjin talked in their sleep, Changbin snored every now and then and Seungmin couldn't stand it.</p><p>So it’s pretty rare they all sleep in one bed together anymore.</p><p>As Chan stepped into the room, he could still smell the remnants of last night. It smelled like Hyunjin and Jeongin, which Chan wasn’t surprised by since the two disappeared into the room for hours after dinner. He had just laughed at their over eager faces as the two skipped down the halls and hid behind sound proof doors, choosing to take an early night himself.</p><p>Now as Chan laid Minho down on the bed, Hyunjin’s lavender and Jeongin’s coconut mixed with the pine and vanilla layering into the room.</p><p>When Chan pulled away from Minho, hovering over the omega who laid flat on the deep maroon comforter, he was met with foggy dilated eyes. His breathing was rather heavy, small pants as he sucked in the alpha dominating the air. Tiny hands reached out, making grabby motions for the alpha with a small whine when Chan just grabbed the both of Minho’s hands with his own and confined them over his chest.</p><p>He looked stunning.</p><p>The same gorgeous Minho that Chan fell for years ago.</p><p>The alpha leaned down, pinning the omega with his body weight and ghosting his lips above Minho’s. The omega tried to reach up and meet him only to meet Chan’s strength resisting his movements. Another whine, a little more frustrated this time.</p><p>“I love you Min,” Chan murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the omega’s nose.</p><p>“Love you, Alpha,” Minho responded in the voice Chan always associated with subspace, smooth and timid.</p><p>“Love you so much,” The alpha pressed another kiss to Minho’s cheek, “You’re so perfect, baby. My perfect omega. Alpha’s perfect omega.”</p><p>As Chan stared down at Minho, he realized all of the signs that he was recognizing as safe subspace. All of the typical responses and normal behavior Chan was used to, and how Felix had mimicked all of them earlier in the day.</p><p>
  <em> A desperate omega was a sign of subdrop. </em>
</p><p>But Minho wasn’t desperate, and neither was Felix. They both were happily content with their alphas, begging to be cared for and loved. They were whiny while being complacent in whatever their alpha wanted them to do. It was nothing like the subdrop Minho described earlier.</p><p>At the very least, Chan was almost certain Jisung hadn’t pushed Felix into a subdrop today. And that on it’s own was a relief. He would never want Felix to go through what Minho explained.</p><p>Even though they didn’t get to finish their talk, Chan felt like he understood more now than he ever did about an omega. He finally realized just what he was seeing, what Minho was giving him and what Minho risked every time they were around each other. He realized how much trust and love flowed between them, and he was so grateful Minho trusted him with this intimacy. He always said he never knew what he did to deserve Minho, and he was still thinking that as the omega whined against his ear for more attention.</p><p>Finally, Chan placed a kiss directly on Minho’s lips.</p><hr/><p>The day after was hell for Felix.</p><p>Not because of the fact that he hit subspace for the first time in two years. <em> That </em> was a blessing in disguise, something he had never had the courage to seek out because of his past experience with it. It was so calming, freeing, and completely unexpected. But it felt so much… different than he was used to.</p><p>He had never felt soft touches or heard soothing words as he waded through blurry vision and hazy thoughts before.</p><p>No, the hell was the embarrassment he felt when he remembered how he had fallen into his bosses arms. How he had helplessly begged for Jisung and nearly cried when Changbin had told him he left. How he had jumped into Chan’s arms a second time without a care in the world.</p><p>The hell was the realization that he liked everything about yesterday, and he was mortified by it.</p><p>How the fuck was he going to face them again?</p><p>Even though he was supposed to be taking the day to calm down, to recover from the subspace that shouldn’t have been as nice as it was, Felix spent his free day anxiously pacing his tiny apartment. He debated quitting, but only for a second until he remembered his dire financial situation.</p><p>Maybe he could avoid Jisung, Chan, and Changbin for the rest of his career? Pretend he forgot all about them when he woke up, as if the subspace was so good that it wiped his memory?</p><p>Felix stopped his pacing for a moment, debating on whether that could even work, before aggressively shaking his head in annoyance. There wasn’t any getting out of this, and he was going to walk back into work with his head down and hope he can prevent any chance meetings with Jisung’s pack for as long as possible.</p><p>So, Felix went to sleep that night dreading the next morning. Dreams came slowly, pulling him into humiliating recreations of the sweet encounter he had with Chan, of the alluring scent of cinnamon, of the kind face accompanied with fake orange smiling down at him. And Felix enjoyed it, every second of it, and that was what made him panic in the morning.</p><p><em> I’m getting attached to some random wolves because they were nice to me </em> , Felix growled in his head as he sharply pulled his jumpsuit over his clothes, <em> You’re a lone wolf Lee Felix, fucking act like it. </em></p><p>But there was no way to act like Felix’s heart didn’t jump every time he remembered the way Chan held him, the way Jisung was so excited to see him, the way Changbin spoke softly to him.</p><p>Why couldn’t he get a hold of himself?</p><p>Felix asked himself this same question multiple times as he walked the journey to work, two days after the incident, and came up with no clear answer besides the fact that he was whipped for three dudes he met two days ago. He had absolutely no clue what to do with that information, and he wasn’t entirely sure how healthy it was for his heart to latch onto them so suddenly.</p><p>He really needed to like, calm his shit.</p><p>As Felix approached the Bang Entertainment building, he felt his legs halt before his mind realized he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. He stared at the tall structure, all the way at the top where Bang Chan would most likely be sitting in his office. Where he spent close to eight hours occupying the alpha’s sofa after embarrassing himself. If he looked hard enough, would he be able to find the window peeking into his work space? Would he be able to catch a glimpse of the alpha from the busy streets below?</p><p>He could feel his cheeks heat up, which only proved to annoy him further. </p><p>The omega stalked forward again, this time pointedly keeping his head down as he drew closer to the back entrance. He ignored the pointless desires of his omega searching for the warmth he felt two days ago, ignored the pull in his chest to find one of the wolves. Instead he thought about the tasks he would have to complete today, about the receptionist that hated his guts, about the paycheck he’ll be receiving soon. If he didn’t seek out Chan office, if he kept his mind occupied, maybe his beating heart would calm down.</p><p>“Felix!” A voice called out, and Felix was forced to bring his head up again.</p><p>Standing outside the back entrance was Yeonjun and Soobin, both smiling brightly as they waved with too much energy for Felix to consider normal. The omega gave a shy wave back as he walked closer to them. He opened and closed his hands awkwardly as he realized he didn’t have his usual yellow notebook with him.</p><p>Felix stopped in his tracks, not for the first time that day, and looked down at his empty hands. He had completely forgotten about his notebook, his only form of communication that Sangmi took from him. During his internal ramblings and obsessive panic, he’d completely forgotten that he was missing something vitally important.</p><p>How the hell was he going to communicate without his notebook?</p><p>“Hey, you okay?” Yeonjun asked as he pulled Felix out of the sun and closer to the shade under the doorway, “Soobin told me what happened the other day. I should have come with you and punched that receptionist like I said I would.”</p><p>Felix wasn’t sure <em> how </em> to explain to them that he wasn’t okay, but it wasn’t in the way they thought. He still had a job, and Sangmi’s tirade hadn’t done anything to damage his position. The reason he wasn’t okay was because his omega wouldn’t calm the fuck down, because his mind kept returning to the kind words and tender touches he’d never felt before.</p><p>And he didn’t have his fucking notebook.</p><p>“Felix?” Soobin asked again, and Felix flung his head up to meet the alpha after he realized he zoned out yet again, “You never got your key card back, did you?”</p><p>Looking down, Felix realized that the alpha was correct. Felix not only had Jisung’s keycard stripped from him yesterday, but his keycard was still locked away in Bang Chan’s office. All the way on the top floor, where the events of two days ago happened.</p><p>A part of him was excited by the inconvenience, because that meant he was forced to visit Chan in his office. But another part of him was disgusted with himself for being so quick to jump at the chance. He had no idea what was wrong with him, why his omega and his brain were divided so much. His wants and desires were at odds with each other and the whiplash was becoming too much to bear.</p><p>One minute he wants to run away and hide from his problems, and the next he wants to jump into someone’s arms.</p><p>He needed to get himself under control.</p><p>“Hey, do you want me to tell Mr. Choi you need to go home?” Felix shook himself back to reality, <em> again </em> because he forgot for the third time that he was talking to someone. Soobin was watching him carefully, worry etched into his face as he picked apart Felix with his eyes, “You look really spooked, maybe you should take another day.”</p><p>Felix instantly shook his head, because whether he was having a mental breakdown or not, he <em> needed </em> the money. Yesterday Chan said he would be compensated for the missed work, but that wasn’t guaranteed for today. If he didn’t have the willpower to come in today, he wasn’t sure when he would.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Yeonjun joined in, “We don’t mind you know. We’ll cover for you.”</p><p>Felix shook his head again, and even though he knew that his coworkers probably wouldn’t understand him, he mouthed along with his fingers as he tried to sign to them, “<em> I’m okay, thank you. </em>”</p><p>Just as he expected, both of them only blinked at him as they tried to process what he had just said. Mouthing his words must have helped though, because eventually he could see the moment his words clicked for them.</p><p>“Oh shit, you don’t have your notebook?” Yeonjun looked far more concerned about Felix’s missing notebook that the omega expected him to be, “Ah fuck okay, maybe you should stay with one of us today? So you’re not alone?”</p><p>Felix wanted to interject and say he was fine, he was mute not incompetent, and he could handle the job just fine without being babysat. But part of him was actually kind of glad Yeonjun offered, because even though he could still handle his job fine he was a little reluctant to be left alone without a way to communicate to someone.</p><p>And maybe having someone next to him would help him keep his mind from wandering to less than work friendly thoughts.</p><p>“If you’re okay with staying with Yeonjun today, I can run up to the top floor and get your keycard.”</p><p>Soobin spoke softly, just like he normally did, but his tone held something Felix wasn’t used to. The omega looked at the alpha again who was staring at him like he could read every emotion Felix had coursing through his body. It wasn’t aggressive, and even though his scent was bogged down by scent blocker, Felix could tell the woodsy undertone belonging to Soobin was still just as calm and collected as it usually was.</p><p>No, he wasn’t angry, nor was he challenging Felix like the omega had assumed he would when they first met. Soobin knew something, or at least thought he knew something, and his calculating expression gave away just how much Felix’s odd behavior spoke for his emotional state. He was watching him carefully, protectively, and it made a lot more sense now why Soobin had offered to get the keycard for Felix instead of Felix having to go alone.</p><p>And Felix appreciated that, because he knew that going to see Chan right now was probably the last thing he should be doing.</p><p>So Felix nodded, both to Yeonjun and Soobin, who smiled back at him. Yeonjun dragged Felix into the building, using his own keycard to get into the entrance while Soobin disappeared down the hallways towards the elevator.</p><p>“We’re gonna take care of the editing department today,” Yeonjun explained as they turned corners, “It would probably take awhile if it was one of us but since we’re a team today we’ll probably be able to make our way to the dance rooms before Soobin does. That guy cleans way too fast and today we might be able to beat him.”</p><hr/><p>Soobin returned his keycard to him quickly, stopping by the editing department to drop it off for Felix before going to grab his cleaning cart.</p><p>“Forewarning,” Soobin said as Felix secured the ID over his shoulders, “Mr. Bang said he wanted to speak to you today, so just head up there whenever you have a free moment. Don’t stress about it though, he said you can see him at your earliest convenience.”</p><p>“Mr. Bang wants to see him?” Yeonjun questioned as he pulled out a few rags from his cart, “It’s not about Ms. Jun right? I’ll go tell him right now that she’s a bitch. You shouldn’t get in trouble because of her.”</p><p>Though he appreciated the sentiment, Felix couldn’t have Yeonjun doing anything on his behalf. Because he knows exactly why Chan wanted to see him, and Felix didn’t want Yeonjun anywhere near the CEO when he knew what the alpha wanted to talk to him about. Though he couldn’t help a small part of himself that also didn’t want Yeonjun anywhere near him because his omega was feeling a bit possessive.</p><p>Which was a big, <em> huge </em> fucking problem because he shouldn’t feel possesive over anyone after one damn day.</p><p>Soobin was watching Felix again, witnessing as Felix helplessly panicked yet again as if he was hearing every one of Felix’s thoughts. And Felix was <em> really </em> getting sick and tired of Soobin seemingly already knowing what Felix was thinking before he could figure it out himself.</p><p>Of course, he didn’t say that to Soobin. Not that he could even if he wanted to. Instead, he mouthed thank you, and Soobin smiled at him as he left to grab his own cart.</p><p>“Do you want to leave now?” Yeonjun offered, “Or do you wanna wait to go see the boss?”</p><p>“<em> Wait, </em>” Felix signed instantly, making sure to mouth along with it.</p><p>He needed more time to get himself together, to forget about his confusing emotions and lose himself in work for a little bit. Maybe then it’ll make it easier to see Chan without his omega trying to jump the alpha. And by then, maybe he can pretend he wasn’t mortified by his actions the other day.</p><p>“Okay,” Yeonjun accepted his answer easily, “You can work on the bathrooms while I start on the meeting rooms.”</p><p>Felix and Yeonjun split up, but it wasn’t very far. The beta was still on the same floor which made communication easier, Felix could always grab Yeonjun if he needed help with anything and there wasn’t a chance of being left alone with a frustrated worker who needed to speak with him.</p><p>The omega never had an issue cleaning bathrooms, even if they were mostly disgusting and poorly taken care of by employees on every floor. The smell could be overbearing, and the amount of despicable stains located in the most bizarre areas were revolting, but it was strangling therapeutic when he was finished. Stepping back to view a pristine white washroom, mopped and sprayed down with nice descented cleaner, was always so rewarding.</p><p>Cleaning the restroom was consistent. It was like a repetitive checklist that he could continue to expect the same results for. It was the same toilets, the same smell, the same products, and the same room that took far too much time to work through. It was time consuming, but Felix found enjoyment in the consistency. He liked knowing what was coming, what he would encounter in the next stall.</p><p>What he didn’t expect was for sea salt to overpower the neutral scent of his bathroom cleaner as he sprayed down a toilet seat.</p><p>Sea salt was a scent Felix recognized all too well, a scent he remembered with unfiltered terror. It reminded him of sleepless nights and dried tears that were once permanently plastered on his skin. It reminded him of raspy screams as he tried to claw at the hands wrapped around his waist.</p><p>It reminded him of when he had a voice, in the most unpleasant way possible.</p><p>“Felix,” Felix’s blood froze, his breath caught in his throat as he hid half bent over one of the toilets in the stall.</p><p>He hadn’t heard his voice in two years.</p><p>He hadn’t smelled him in two years.</p><p>He had poisoned Felix’s thoughts for two years.</p><p>He had <em> imprisoned </em> Felix in a cage of insecurities for two years.</p><p>He had smelled Felix beyond the fake rose taped over his scent glands, even without spotting his hunched figure at the far end of the bathroom.</p><p>Felix didn’t respond, and even if he wanted to he wouldn’t be able to muster up the courage to utter a single syllable. Years ago, Felix was once confident enough to scream and shout at him, to threaten him into leaving him alone. He was able to stand his ground against the irate alpha, even as he snarled in his face just outfront of their apartment, but now he felt small and frightened. The wolf he was two years ago had dismantled into the pathetic excuse of an omega he was today, one that trembled in fear as the sea salt grew more pronounced.</p><p>Heavy footsteps made slow, sloppy paces forward, effectively trapping Felix in the corner stall he was still hiding in. The sea salt was turning into a hungry, selfish desire masked with childish excitement, and Felix felt bile threaten his esophagus as it surrounded him. </p><p>He once loved this scent, but now he despised it.</p><p>Jinho’s scent.</p><p>The footsteps stopped just behind Felix. He knew the alpha was behind him, the same alpha that ruined Felix two years ago, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around. His hands were shaking beside him, and he was contemplating sliding under the stalls and running straight for the exit, but he knew this alpha. He knew it would provoke him, knew it would end badly, and he knew he wouldn’t out run him.</p><p>“Felix,” He spoke again, and the omega couldn’t help his flinch, “Look at me.”</p><p>And Felix had to comply, because what else was he going to do?</p><p>He slowly turned around his stiff body, finally facing the person that had destroyed him so long ago.</p><p>He hadn’t changed much, except that his face filled out a little bit. He still had black hair, slicked back in a messy up do. He was wearing the same necklace Felix had never seen him without, and he was pretty sure his beaten up converse’s were a gift from Felix himself. The outfit choice was new, Felix never saw him willingly wear slacks during their entire relationship but he figured it fit the white button up he was wearing.</p><p>But the most recognizable thing was the unimpressed glare, the crossed arms as he stared down at Felix with so much disappointment.</p><p>It still hurt today as much as it did two years ago.</p><p>“It is you,” Jinho remained stoic as he scrutinized the omega, who’s own fear was most definitely leaking from his scent blockers.</p><p>Felix gulped as the alpha remained silent, his sea salt poking and prodding at Felix’s self control. Each passing second he was debating on the risk of running, and simultaneously sikeing himself out.</p><p>“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” Jinho growled, “Where’s that attitude that you insisted I deserved last time we saw each other?”</p><p>That <em> attitude </em> disappeared along with his voice and his confidence. It was long gone, buried with his past self, and Felix probably wouldn’t be seeing it again.</p><p>Without warning, Jinho’s hand shot out towards Felix’s neck. Felix jolted as the alpha’s finger curled through the metal hook around his collar. Jinho yanked him down and forced the omega to look up in order to see the alpha’s face. He panted, trying to regain his lost breath that was only growing harder and harder to find, and Jinho’s sickening smile only made his panting turn to silent gasps.</p><p>“Would you look at that,” Jinho cackled as he leaned into Felix’s face, “You’re as quiet as a mouse. I wish you were this obedient when we were still together.”</p><p>Felix wanted to snap back, to pull himself free from Jinho’s grasp, but he couldn’t bring himself to fight. He was petrified, and the finger that yanked at his collar was a reminder that legally Jinho was above him and always will be.</p><p>“You know, I think I like you better like this,” Jinho’s voice was quieter, but it retained the edge that Felix hated, “You’re so compliant, and you’re so much <em> prettier </em>without all those nasty words leaving your lips. I never realized how a little silence could do so much.”</p><p><em> No </em>, Felix shouted in his head. The alarm bells were ringing as each gruesome fight replayed in his memories. Everything he worked years to forget, to heal from, were ripping to the surface again. It was suffocating, and the collar Jinho had him leashed to was too tight, too painful.</p><p>The sea salt was burning his lungs, and Jinho was burning his skin.</p><p>“Felix?” A new voice broke through, “You good?”</p><p>
  <em> Yeonjun. </em>
</p><p>Jinho immediately released his hold on Felix’s collar, stepping back from the stall as Felix struggled to regain his breath. Felix stood straight, his hands going straight to his collar as Jinho eyed him fiercely. Just as the alpha was turning to leave, Felix caught sight of a familiar ID card, one that signified one’s employment at Bang Entertainment, and it had Jinho’s face on it.</p><p>He <em> worked </em> here.</p><p>Jinho turned to leave just as Yeonjun walked in. The beta watched the alpha rush out of the room with an odd expression, but it quickly morphed into one of disgust as he waved away the air in front of his nose, “God, talk about postering alpha, it reeks in here.”</p><p>Yeonjun returned his attention towards Felix, and understandably freaked out upon seeing the state the omega was in. His face was flushed, sweat gathered over his forehead and neck as he tried to get his breaths to come out even again. His fingers pulled on his collar, trying to find the buckle frantically but his trembling fingers failed to grasp onto the metal properly.</p><p>“Hey, hey, hold on let me get it,” Yeonjun reached his hands up to Felix’s neck, but the omega jerked back.</p><p>The beta pulled back apologetically as Felix returned to his task. He tried to calm himself down, to get his fingers to cooperate with him as he finally located the buckled and loosened the collar around his neck. He took a deep breath, but it still tasted like sea salt.</p><p>“What did that guy do to you?” Yeonjun looked frightened as Felix pushed himself out of the stall and towards the hallway where the air would be clear of Jinho’s scent.</p><p>Yeonjun followed behind him, and when Felix slid down the wall onto the tile flooring, Yeonjun joined him. The omega clasped his hands together and rested his head on his forearms. He was no longer surrounded by sea salt, but he could still feel the pressure of alpha pressing up against him, baiting him into submission as he was trapped in a corner.</p><p>“Felix?” Yeonjun asked softly, but Felix couldn’t bring himself to look at him, “Do I need to get you anything? How can I help?”</p><p>There wasn’t anything Yeonjun could do to help, because if there was Felix would have done it a long time ago. So, Felix shook his head. And Yeonjun looked far from thrilled by that answer.</p><p>“Who was that guy?” He asked instead, “Did you know him?”</p><p><em> Yes </em> , Felix wanted to say, <em> and I wish I didn’t </em> . Except he couldn’t, because Sangmi still had his notebook. Because he didn’t want to admit <em> how </em> he knew Jinho, or how he wished he didn’t know him. Because he didn’t want to talk about his trauma that he hadn’t healed from. Because he didn’t want to be looked at like the weak omega he was.</p><p>So Felix shook his head no.</p><p>Yeonjun didn’t believe him, Felix could tell, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I wanted to start off by saying I'm sorry this took so long D: I had a death in the family and then my mom and I got exposed to the virus so we were stressing hardcore. BUT! Everything is okay now, I just had a rough patch and ditched everything. Now that I've returned to writing, all of my evil plans for angst are reinvigorated. We have in love MinChan, worried and stress Chan and Jisung, Felix losing his mind, and a VILLAIN to make things worse.</p><p>Also a BIG round of applause to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinystreetlamp">tinystreetlamp</a> for betaing this hot mess of a chapter. I APPRECIATE YOU!!!!</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chan waited impatiently for Felix to visit him, going hours staring off into space rather than completing the mountain of work waiting for him on his desk. His focus was non-existent, because every time he tried to lose himself in work he would get a text from Jisung who was waiting at home just as impatiently as he was asking for an update. Every time he made a phone call, he would lose his train of thought and end up repeating himself time and time again. Every time he would try to listen to one of the new groups debut track in order to accept it into production, he would zone out and end up having to restart the whole thing.</p><p>He was distracted. He knew it, his secretary knew it, Jisung knew it, and he wouldn’t be surprised if Felix knew it too.</p><p>His nerves were jumping under his skin as he waited for the omega to make his way up to Chan’s office, and the longer it took the more his thoughts ran with unpleasant scenarios. The possibility of the trouble Jisung could wind up in, the lingering repercussions of the incident that could leave Felix with permanent issues, the long lasting emotional damages that would take time to heal- Everything was overwhelming, and Chan was trying to force himself to remain calm and collected until Felix came to meet him.</p><p>He knew he was succeeding in at least keeping his scent free of his restlessness, he kind of had to be good at managing his emotions in the workplace when he was the CEO of a giant corporation. He was decent at controlling his scent and containing it to himself during work hours, and when he was home he let his alpha smell roam the space freely. But today he opted to wear scent blockers, because he intended to speak with Felix and he felt having his alpha scent looming over the omega was a very bad idea.</p><p>It didn’t mean he wasn’t still uneasy about the situation, but he could pretend his distraction was due to overwork rather than a risky encounter with an innocent omega gone wrong if anyone asked.</p><p>Chan felt his phone vibrate for the thirteenth time since he arrived at work, and he had no doubt it was Jisung before he even glanced at the screen. Part of him was slightly frustrated with the unending flood of text messages from the other alpha, but Chan kept reminding himself that Jisung had every right to be nervous for updates. Even if Chan was doing somewhat well with burying his anxiety over the issue, Jisung has never been good at handling his emotions and their whole pack knew that.</p><p>Chan needed to be a bit more lenient with Jisung, remind himself <em> why </em> Jisung is the way he is and try his best to see things from Jisung’s perspective. It’s been something that the entire pack has worked on together, because Jisung’s issues aren’t a one person battle. They all fought with him together, defended him together, and walked with him together. This was difficult for the younger alpha, and the unknown was scaring him. Chan couldn’t blame him for being scared.</p><p>So, Chan picked up his phone yet again to calm the alpha’s struggles.</p><hr/><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> has he come in yet </em></p><p>
  <em> Not yet. </em>
</p><p><em> His break should be soon so he might </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> come up after that. </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> will you tell me when he’s there </em></p><p>
  <em> Of course, I already told you I would. </em>
</p><p><em> Are you watching that movie with Jinnie </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> like I told you to? </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> finding nemo is a kids movie </em></p><p>
  <em> Minho likes it. </em>
</p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> when he’s in subspace! </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie: </em> </b> <em> i think every omega in subspace would </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> love that movie </em></p><p>
  <em> Okay fine, why don’t you watch an anime? </em>
</p><p><em> But just, make sure it’s going to make you feel </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> better, not stress you out more. </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> i don’t wanna watch anything </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> i just wanna know Felix is ok </em></p><p>
  <em> Well I haven’t spoken to him yet, Babes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> We have to give him time. </em>
</p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> :( </em></p><p>
  <em> Where’s Hyunjin? Is he still with you? </em>
</p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> yeah </em></p><p>
  <em> Cuddle him. </em>
</p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> that’s embarrassing </em></p><p>
  <em> No it’s not, you cuddle Jeongin all the time. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You cuddle ME all the time. </em>
</p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> but that’s different </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> you’re pack alpha and Innie </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> is Innie </em></p><p><em> Just because Hyunjin is another alpha doesn’t </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> mean you can’t cuddle him. That didn’t stop you </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> and Seungmin the other night. </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> what if he think i’m weak </em></p><p>
  <em> You’re not weak Sungie. I swear to you. </em>
</p><p><em> You’re still a big strong alpha, you just need a </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> hug sometimes, that’s all. It’s completely normal </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> to be a strong alpha who needs a hug. </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> i don’t see you needing hugs </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> you’re always strong </em></p><p>
  <em> That’s not true. </em>
</p><p><em> I can promise you I needed a hug just as </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> much as you do. I just got it from Minho. </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> You can ask him. </em></p><p>
  <em> So, a big strong alpha can still get cuddled. </em>
</p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> ...he started cuddling me halfway </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> through your text </em></p><p><em> Well now you have no choice. Accept his love </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> or else I’m going to OVER love you tonight </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> and you’ll hate it. I’ll be so overbearing and </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> lovey dovey and annoy you to your wits end. </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> fine… </em></p><p><b> <em>Jisungie:</em> </b> <em> text me when you talk to Felix pls </em></p><p>
  <em> I will, I promise. </em>
</p><hr/><p>Chan pushed his phone to the side with his phone screen facing up just in case Jisung ended up texting him again. It was 5:45 PM, and his employees were begging him for his feedback that he hadn’t had the concentration for. It laid untouched under the pile of spreadsheets and budget requests, right next to the sponsor agreements and talent scout event campaigns. It was all a little too much, but it was the life of a business owner that Chan had gotten used to.</p><p>He gave a pitiful attempt at working on his tasks yet again, though he had to admit he was starting to at least make a dent in his work which was something. His phone didn’t buzz again, and his thoughts weren’t straying as easily when he finally got into the groove of things.</p><p>Until his office phone started ringing.</p><p>Chan dropped his pen just as the first ring filled the room, and the sudden jump of adrenaline was unexpected as he flew back in his seat. By the second ring, he realized how much time had passed as he finally got some work done. By the third ring, he had wiped his face of any uncertainty, pushed aside his pile of papers, and picked up the phone, “This is Bang Chan.”</p><p>“<em> Lee Yongbok is here to see you. </em>”</p><p>“Yes thank you,” Chan cleared his throat as he stood from his chair, “I’ll be right there.”</p><p>He clicked the office phone in place with a quick survey of the room. Everything was neat, and Chan spent his entire afternoon yesterday deep cleaning the room to rid it of any leftover cinnamon in preparation of Felix’s visit. He had a candle lit in the room, his own scent was covered, and all of the extra articles of clothing holding the scent of his pack were brought back to the house yesterday.</p><p>Hopefully there wouldn’t be anything that could trigger a bad reaction from the omega.</p><p>Chan quickly headed towards the door where he knew Felix was waiting for him, and pulled it open.</p><p>Standing just in front of his secretary’s desk, was the sweet omega Chan had just met a few days ago. He was wearing the proper ID card this time, the one Choi Soobin retrieved from the CEO earlier today. When he had told the other alpha that he wanted to speak with Felix today, he hadn’t expected the omega to arrive quickly. In fact, he was expecting him to take his time, to leave Chan in the dark out of fear, because he would have been entitled to do so. He was prepared to wait in suspense until the late hours of the night.</p><p>However, upon seeing the state Felix was in, the blood shot eyes, ruffled hair, and rosie red cheeks that told Chan the omega was everything <em> but </em> okay, Chan wished he had brought Felix into his office sooner. Felix was barely hanging on by a thread, looking like he was ready to collapse out of fatigue and stress in a way that bothered his alpha. </p><p>If his pack caused this, he needed to fix it.</p><p>Chan needed to protect him because if he was really a lone wolf then no one else was going to stand up for him. No one was going to check in on his mental health, or help him through whatever emotional whirlwind his pack created for him, and even though Chan couldn’t be there for him physically, he could watch over him from afar. He could make sure he was taken care of, that he had no lasting problems from their incident, that he wasn’t suffering behind closed doors like it appeared he already was.</p><p>Because he looked <em> rough </em>, and it broke Chan’s heart.</p><p>“Felix,” Chan’s concern must have shown in his voice, because Felix seemed taken by surprise by his tone, “Please, come in.”</p><p>The omega recovered from his shock easily, nodding politely as he passed by Chan in the doorway, much like their first meeting.</p><p>Chan had to pretend the distressed scent radiating from the omega didn’t affect him as much as it did.</p><p>“Go ahead and take a seat,” Chan offered kindly as he shut the door behind them.</p><p>Felix complied easily, sitting in the same seat as last time with his head down and hands twiddling restlessly in his lap. Chan suppressed the sigh that was building in his throat, keeping himself under control and ridding his mind of the protective instincts that were already creeping to the surface. He needed to tread carefully as this was a delicate situation, and Felix didn’t deserve to deal with an overbearing alpha after everything else he’s had to deal with.</p><p>Chan didn’t leave the omega sitting alone for long. He took his own seat in front of the janitor who was pointedly avoiding Chan’s gaze. Not that he blamed him, but it was still a little disheartening.</p><p>“Thank you for coming,” Chan began as he pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. He pushed them to the front of the desk without mentioning the omega’s lack of communication, “I’m sorry I took time out of your day for this.”</p><p>Felix shook his head, reaching out for the paper Chan provided and scribbling out a quick response.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Don’t apologize, it’s okay.</em> </b>
</p><p>Chan wanted to argue that he really <em> should </em> apologize, afterall Felix wouldn’t have needed to come here if things hadn’t happened the way they did, but he figured it best to leave it at that for now. There were plenty of other things to apologize for during their discussion, he would have his chance to bring it up again later.</p><p>“How are you feeling?” Chan watched how Felix reacted to the question with careful eyes, looking at each detail for any warning signs the alpha should be aware of.</p><p>Felix wasn’t his omega so Chan had no right to demand answers or interrogate the omega if he wasn’t truthful, but he knew no one else would be concerned about the omega’s health enough to push him. No one would be watching after him when he went home, no one would be making doctors appointments if they noticed the omega acting strange, no one would be sitting him down to work through his feelings when he was feeling overwhelmed.</p><p>No one was going to be there to take care of him when he needed it, so Chan wanted to step up in any way he could without overstepping. He paid attention to the stiffness in Felix’s shoulders, to the uneven breathing, to the hesitance as the omega reached for the paper yet again. They were all signs that he wasn’t okay, but Chan had a feeling Felix might try to downplay his problems.</p><p>He just needed to handle things the way he should have before, the way any work relationship should handle interactions from alpha to omega. </p><p>
  <b> <em>I’m good, same as usual.</em> </b>
</p><p>Chan forced back his disappointment, and really he should have expected the omega to lie. He wouldn’t blame him for not putting his trust in the alpha after everything that had happened. Yet he felt a bit bitter that the janitor was holding back when it was obvious to both of them he wasn’t okay.</p><p>“I want to start by saying that Jisung’s behavior two days ago was unprofessional and inexcusable,” It hurt Chan to admit it, but it was true. Felix was a stranger that Jisung jumped on without a second thought. Chan loved Jisung, but he failed to think before he acted sometimes, “As his pack alpha, I’m responsible for his actions. And as his employer and yours, I’m also responsible for making sure the situation is resolved. Properly.”</p><p>Felix nodded along slowly, looking more and more like he was close to crying as Chan spoke. The alpha faltered a bit at the end of his sentence as glossy eyes stared back at him. When Chan teetered off his sentence, Felix quickly rubbed at his eyes with his fists. He gave a tiny sniffle followed by a flat smile that nearly had Chan jumping out of his seat.</p><p><em> Not your omega </em>, he reminded himself. No matter how much his alpha was begging to comfort Felix, he refused to let himself fall victim to his instincts. He wasn’t allowed to help Felix like he would with his pack. He wasn’t allowed to react to the sour honey and pull the boy into a hug. He wasn’t allowed to take care of him like he wanted to, like he would with Minho.</p><p>It hurt to blatantly ignore the tears, but he couldn’t risk making Felix uncomfortable. He couldn’t risk making things worse. He needed to do things the proper way, the way the company says he’s supposed to, not the way his alpha wants to.</p><p>Though he supposed it wouldn’t hurt to offer him a tissue.</p><p>“Here,” Chan opened his desk drawer and pushed around his scattered contents until he found the small travel sized package of tissues he had stored away.</p><p>Felix looked at Chan’s hand for a moment, then hesitantly reached for the package with shaky hands.</p><p>“I’ve already started working on an incident report,” Chan continued, speaking softer as Felix struggled to hide his emotions, “I’m detailing the entire ordeal and intend to go forward in whichever direction you want to take it. If you’d like this to stay within the company I can organize a proper punishment that would keep you and Jisung away from each other. If you’d like to bring this into the legal world I can arrange that as well. I’m going to be transparent with you and anyone else involved in their case, so you can decide on whichever path you want to take.”</p><p>Felix’s stare had Chan struck silent, fearful of continuing incase it set the omega off. He looked devastated as rogue tears fell down his cheeks, and it was the complete opposite of what Chan experienced with the omega before. He missed the gleeful giggles of happy subspace and clingy hugs that Chan had no business enjoying.</p><p>He hated that it was them that made Felix like this. That they turned him into this crying mess that Chan couldn’t even comfort.</p><p>“It’s completely up to you-” Chan began again, but stopped as soon as he saw Felix’s hand jump out and snag that paper again.</p><p>He watched with parted lips as Felix hastily wrote out a messy sentence, shoving the paper over to Chan.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I don’t want to press charges. I don’t want him in trouble. I want to be able to see him again.</em> </b>
</p><p>The pen had smudged a bit when it mixed with the tears that fell on the paper, but it was still entirely legible. Chan read and reread the lines with a mix of relief and confusion. He tried to work out how the words written down matched up with the image of a completely distraught omega in front him, but nothing made sense to him.</p><p>Felix was very clearly upset when he entered the alpha’s office, and Chan assumed that was caused by their mistake. If Felix didn’t want Jisung in trouble, and wanted to see him again on top of that, <em> why </em> did he seem so terrified?</p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Chan tried to remain calm, because his heart was jumping in his skin as he tried to decide whether he should be relieved or weary, “You have every right to press charges, you know this right? I won’t sabotage your case.”</p><p>Felix sharply nodded his head with determination sparkling in his eyes, and if it weren’t for the tears smeared on his face he would have seemed even more persuasive. The honey scent, though still sour and tainted with unease, put Chan’s doubt to rest when Felix forcefully pushed out his scent to prove a point. The omega was adamant about his decision, and Chan got the message loud and clear.</p><p>“Okay,” Chan tapped his fingers against the desk as he let his mind pick apart the anxious thoughts that had been manifesting over the past 48 hours. If Felix didn’t want to prosecute them, and Jisung wasn’t going to be in serious trouble, then the omega couldn't be too unhappy with them.</p><p>“Thank you,” Chan said sincerely as he stared directly into the omega’s gaze, though he wanted to make himself appear less like an alpha and more like an equal. Without a second thought, he stood from his seat and rounded to the other side of his desk. He settled himself in the chair next to Felix, turned slightly so they were still facing each other. Felix’s eyes followed his movement as he rubbed at his nose with the tissue, and as Chan sat he looked pleasantly surprised.</p><p>He wanted Felix to know his appreciation wasn’t surface level, and he didn’t want to abuse his status against the omega to validate his words. As much as Chan was an alpha in power, Felix was still a human being that deserved the same respect as him, “And I know Jisung wants to thank you too.”</p><p>Even through the mysterious tears that Chan still wasn’t sure stemmed from their predicament or not, Felix's smile shined through the depressing mood. Contrary to what Chan had hypothesized as he prepared for this very conversation, Felix seemed almost more relaxed after having declared his stance on the situation. After securing not only Jisung’s safety but the likely hood of the two seeing each other again, Felix had wiped away his tears and reduced his endless stream to a trickle.</p><p>Maybe Felix’s troubling appearance had another cause? Or, at the very least, it wasn’t just Chan’s pack contributing to the omega’s state of mind?</p><p>“If you're positive-” Chan said only for Felix to nod instantly again, this time a little playful as both the alpha and omega dawned a tiny grin, “Okay Felix, I’ll take your word for it. If you say everything’s okay, then I believe you.”</p><p>“But,” Chan watched as Felix listened intently to his words, “If you ever feel threatened or uncomfortable with any of my pack you need to be straightforward with us. Tell us how you’re feeling and whether we overstep. I know Jisung can be overly excited sometimes, and he means well, but none of us want you to be troubled with things you don’t want to deal with.”</p><p>Felix agreed easily, not that Chan thought he wouldn’t. Chan got the impression that Felix was an easy going omega, which was something he hadn’t expected he’d ever see in a lone wolf. Felix was nothing like the lone wolves he’s seen, which had him wondering how Felix wound up like this in the first place.</p><p>Was it his choice to be alone?</p><p>“Also,” Chan took another glance at Felix’s disheveled uniform, the loose collar around his neck, and the messy hair draping over his eyes, “Are you experiencing any bad side effects from the other day? Anything concerning enough that you should see a doctor?”</p><p>“It would be covered by the company of course,” Chan revisited the brief memory of Felix’s state of home, there’s no way Chan would force him to pay for his own doctor's visit, “I know I asked this already, but I don’t think you were in the right headspace to be properly answering those questions.”</p><p>Again, he wasn’t surprised to see Felix say no.</p><p>Part of him wondered if he should press on, ask him to see a doctor anyways just to double check and be sure there weren’t any glaring medical issues that hadn’t been addressed. Because even if Felix wasn’t upset because of Jisung or Chan, something wasn’t okay. Something caused the image of a struggling omega that Chan was sitting across from, and if Chan had any rights to decide on Felix's health and well being, he would be sending the omega to a doctors office regardless of how much he’d say he’s fine.</p><p>But he knew that was going too far. It wasn’t Chan’s place to push for the truth, and it would most definitely be a grave mistake on his end if he tried to do anything underhanded to make sure the janitor was okay. Felix was still a relative stranger and Chan was still an alpha he only met once. He had no claim to the omega and the omega had no reason to follow what he said.</p><p>So he reluctantly let it go, “Okay, if you experience anything in the future you have to promise to let me know. You are always welcome to talk to me if you need to.”</p><p>Felix agreed easily, and it put Chan’s racing heart to rest as he saw the omega calming by the second.</p><p>Maybe it really wasn’t Chan and Jisung that caused the mess that walked into his office, but Chan wasn’t sure if that made him feel better. At least if it was them, Chan could fix it. If it’s something else, something Chan wasn’t aware of, there was nothing he could do unless Felix told him.</p><p>He had a feeling that wouldn’t be happening any time soon.</p><hr/><p>The days flew by after Felix’s talk with Chan.</p><p>After his ordeal with Jinho, he was convinced his visit to the pack alpha would prove to be more trouble than anything. That Chan would see right through his facade and demand answers. But he found that it actually placated a lot of his worries. While the alpha surely did notice, he hadn’t said anything about his obvious poor health which was relieving for Felix.</p><p>At least, he thought it was. He was still trying to decide if he liked the professional gap between them or if he was let down that Chan hadn’t pulled him into a hug like his omega wanted.</p><p>He wouldn’t say the days went by easily by any means, he was a jittery mess for the last two days of his first week on the job. The second week seemed to be fairing slightly better as he finished off his first day of the new week with all of his tasks diligently completed within record time. Even Soobin commended him for his record breaking pace after beating the alpha to the janitor's closet.</p><p>He had returned to the job apprehensive of being alone again, and spent an extra day shadowing Yeonjun. The beta luckily didn’t press him for information after finding Felix in such a compromising position, and when Soobin asked why Felix was suddenly so jumpy the beta had shook his head and moved on with the conversation. The alpha never brought it up again, and any accommodations Felix asked for were instantly granted without question.</p><p>Yeonjun was the one to insist Felix never clean the editing floor again, and Felix was relieved that his coworker had stepped up to the plate to take care of that concern for him. Soobin took responsibility for that floor from now on, even when Yeonjun offered to do it. He had assured them both he was more than capable of handling it himself, and Felix believed him.</p><p>Felix forced himself to ignore another knowing look on the alpha’s face as he had analyzed the omega’s distant gaze during their conversation. </p><p>Though it didn’t really bother Felix, it did make him wonder about how much the alpha could perceive from his body language and remnant scent that snuck into the fake rose stuck on his neck. Could Soobin smell the fear on him? Did he know just how traumatized the omega was? How terrified he was of running into Jinho alone? Could he read the details of what happened with Chan’s pack, peeling his thoughts straight from his brain without Felix’s knowledge?</p><p>He wasn’t sure if Soobin really did know anything or if Felix was just looking too much into things, but the omega wasn’t going to help him figure it out. His secrets were his to keep.</p><p>Which is why he found himself working alone again after three days of hiding behind Yeonjun’s back. He was avoiding the first floor as it was a communal place. Any staff member could pass through at various times of the day, which meant he had a higher chance of running into Jinho. He was cleaning practice rooms today, and he hoped that would keep him from seeing his ex boyfriend for the time being.</p><p>He had been working for around five hours without issue, zoning out to a song he was playing in his head. He was trying to distract himself with pointless thoughts, catchy tunes, and countless theories as he scrubbed at the hard floors with his mop. Anything to keep his mind occupied and off of the clusterfuck of events that had transpired for the omega the past week.</p><p>Sometimes, when his wandering mind had the desire to torture him, he’d find himself daydreaming of Chan’s touch. Sweet pine accompanied with secure arms wrapped around his body as Changbin kneeled beside them and whispered reassurances. Then Jisung would arrive and cuddle Felix from behind, and he’d feel his vision grow foggy around the edges. His worries would disappear because they were there, they took away the fear, and the insecurity, and the worthlessness that Felix dragged along with him wherever he went.</p><p>Felix forcefully shook his head as he caught himself in another daydream. The fantasy was flushed out of his mind with a muted groan of annoyance. He was growing dependent, to his misfortune, and his biology was craving the feeling of subspace. Not the kind he had before with Jinho, but the one he had with Chan and his pack. The one that took him to heaven and made him feel mushy and loved. His omega was begging him to seek out the alphas again, to submit underneath them and give himself over to their mercy.</p><p>But his brain, the only <em> logical </em> part of him right now, wanted to smack his omega over the head.</p><p>He’d gotten better at managing the urge to run to Chan and his pack. He wasn’t as worked up over the scenarios playing out in his head anymore. Even though his subconscious refused to give in and insisted on showing him dreams filled with loving alphas and betas alike, Felix stayed strong. He bit his cheek when their scent came to mind and worked on keeping his mind from entertaining the desires of his omega.</p><p>Combined with the fear of running into Jinho, Felix had one hell of a week.</p><p>Calm was hard to find, but Felix was chasing it. He was trying to keep himself from dropping into the pit he had been trying to climb out of. Jinho had ruined him, and Felix had to fix it on his own. He finally found a job that catered to his disability, one that didn’t care about his omega status, one with amazing coworkers that actually helped him.</p><p>So what if the CEO is an alpha to the pack that he just so happens to dream about at night?</p><p>So what if Jinho, his abusive ex boyfriend, worked in the building as him?</p><p>So what if he was pushed into subspace by Jisung and cornered by Jinho all within the first week of his new job?</p><p>He was Lee Felix, a mute male omega that had defied all odds and got himself a job on his own. No one <em> helped </em>him get employed at Bang Entertainment. No one walked him to the building, or held his hand as he peeled open his eviction warning after two missed rent payments. No one comforted him when he cried at night after another vivid memory of what he had thought subspace felt like.</p><p>He did it all alone, so he could be a big boy now and quit letting a few alphas dictate his life. Whether they were cute, sweet, and caring alpha or the downright scum of the earth. He needed to take care of himself and get his omega under control just like he’s always done. But that was hard, especially when he constantly jumped at the sound of the footsteps that passed down the hallways. </p><p>He still had a long way to go.</p><p>There was a ding of the elevator as another employee stopped on the floor Felix was cleaning. He put himself back to work while keeping his focus on the taps of shoes hitting the tile outside of the practice room he was in. They were light but fast, as if they were running on their toes. Whoever was out there was in a hurry.</p><p>He slowly moved his mop back and forth across the floor with minimal amounts of noise so he could listen in on the person that was making their way through the hallways. He couldn’t smell anything yet, and the footsteps were pausing for a few seconds before continuing their hurried pace. They were looking for something if Felix had to guess.</p><p>He closed his eyes as the taps continued down the hall, growing closer to the room he was in. His heart lurched when they stopped again only to resume their search, and he had to convince himself that whoever was out there had nothing to do with him. It wasn’t Jinho scouring the floors until he found Felix alone and vulnerable, it was just some random employee probably looking for someone else that <em> wasn’t </em>Felix.</p><p>The footsteps stopped again, and Felix held his breath as he heard the familiar click of the door being unlocked. He maintained his small circles with the mop as the door was pulled open, keeping his body positioned sideways so he could still have the entrance in his side vision. He kept his head down as the person peaked their head inside the room.</p><p>The first thing Felix registered with the scent of baby powder.</p><p>“Felix!” The person flung themselves into the room causing Felix to stumble back onto the wet floor in surprise.</p><p>His hands flew up, dropping the mop with a loud thud as the new arrival skidded to a stop right in front of the janitor. The omega pressed a hand over his chest as he blinked away the sudden panic that flooded his vision. His thoughts that jumbled together settled back into place as he finally realized the person standing before him was Han Jisung, the alpha that gave Felix the type of sub space he thought never existed. The alpha Felix had almost gotten into serious trouble. One of the alpha’s plaguing his dreams with his sweet aroma and kind personality. </p><p>“Hey!” Jisung grinned, seemingly oblivious to the shock Felix was exhibiting at his presence, “It took me a while to find you!”</p><p>He imagined it did, considering Felix was a roaming janitor with no fixed position. How long had Jisung been searching for him? And <em> why </em> was he searching for him to begin with?</p><p>“You know, I never realized how big this building is,” Jisung mused aloud as Felix slowly reached down to grab his fallen mop, “Each floor is giant, and <em> every door </em> is locked. You know how many people probably hate my guts for walking in on them? Like five. I made five enemies today.”</p><p>Five enemies in one day was a lot, Felix could agree with that.</p><p>“But anyways!” Jisung’s voice reverberated inside the dance room, echoing off the walls with his excitement, “I was looking for you!”</p><p>As much as Felix’s heart was begging for a break from all of the confusing emotions and strange desires of his omega, the janitor was overjoyed at Jisung’s appearance. He seemed so happy, as if nothing had happened between the two. He was obviously wearing scent blockers again which slightly bummed out the flicker of hope Felix had that he may be able to scent the calming cinnamon once again, but Felix was kind of expecting that to happen.</p><p>Physically, he looked like he had seen better days. Felix could see the bags under his eyes, the pale skin, the tangled hair, he always looked as if he had come down with a cold. Yet his attitude contrasted with his appearance. He spoke loud and rambled off his inner thoughts without a care as he threw his hands into the air to exaggerate his words. His eyes sparkled and his cheeky smile eased the fear Felix was haunted with. Jisung was easy to be around, and Felix was learning that once again.</p><p>As Jisung continued to spout off random statements about the building and how a producer was out to kill him, Felix retrieved his notebook from his janitor's cart. It was a new blue one as Sangmi hadn’t returned his yellow, and he wasn’t sure if she ever <em> would </em> return it. He could only hope he hadn’t written anything private in it.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Why were you looking for me?</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh,” Jisung blinked as he read Felix’s questions, “Well, to apologize. You know, for the whole subspace thing. It was irresponsible of me and I should have been more careful.”</p><p>Even though Felix wasn’t expecting an apology - he didn’t even necessarily want one from Jisung if he was honest - it made his cheeks heats up. He never heard apologies much. Usually he was taking a ride on the blame train as everything Felix dealt with in life came hurling down on to his back. It was just another downfall of his situation, of being an omega with an overbearing alpha that refused to take responsibility.</p><p>But Jisung wasn’t Jinho.</p><p>His cinnamon was so much sweeter than Jinho’s musty sea salt. His bouncy personality was the complete opposite of Jinho’s cold harsh demeanor. His eagerness to please <em> Felix </em> , an <em> omega </em>, instead of demanding Felix respect him due to his status… Jisung was nothing like Jinho.</p><p>Jisung was smiling at him with shining eyes, looking sincere and hopeful as he handed Felix's notebook back. He hadn’t done anything vindictive, and everything that happened between was a complete accident. Felix was able to comprehend that even through his clouded judgment and pheromone induced compulsions.</p><p>And Jisung’s apology was greatly appreciated, even if Felix didn’t need one. It showed he cared enough about Felix as a person, that he looked at him as an equal instead of a lower omega.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Thank you, I appreciate it. And I forgive you.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Are you sure?” Jisung pulled his head up from the paper, his brow pinched as he bit at his lip, “I mean what I did… It could have ended so much worse. I could have hurt you… I wouldn’t blame you if you want to punch me. In fact, you can. I’ll let you, I promise.”</p><p>If he could laugh, Felix would have let out a small chuckle at the offer. Instead he fondly shook his head at the alpha who seemed relieved at the omega’s reaction. He quickly returned Felix’s notebook and rubbed his hands together awkwardly. Felix cocked his head to the side in question as Jisung’s gaze darted around the room. He obviously wanted to say something, and Felix wanted him to know he was welcome to speak his mind. So when Jisung’s gaze passed over Felix’s face, the omega gave him a reassuring grin.</p><p>“I am kind of serious though,” Jisung finally said with a nervous hand running through his hair, “I have a… condition. One that could have made things way worse than it did.”</p><p>Jisung took a deep breath, and Felix waited patiently. It was clear the alpha was uncomfortable, or maybe scared of revealing whatever he was about to, and Felix wanted him to know he wasn’t forced to tell the omega. He understood having secrets, and he would always respect the alpha’s privacy. He began pulling out his notebook, intending to tell Jisung just that, but the alpha began speaking before he could flip to a blank page.</p><p>“I met Chan before I presented,” Jisung began, his voice broke with how quiet he spoke, sounding almost bitter sweet, “We were friends before we were pack mates. I was one of the first of three others that joined Chan’s pack when he made it. Me, Chan, and Changbin went to highschool together and he always looked out for me. We were sure I was gonna present as a beta, especially when Chan presented as an alpha. It was just natural that I would be a beta since I never challenged Chan during our entire friendship.”</p><p>Felix tried to imagine Chan, Jisung, and Changbin in highschool without the authority or worries of their high profile jobs, without the worry of status or challenges of society. It was hard to picture.</p><p>“We can see how wrong I was,” Jisung tried to laugh, tried to lighten the mood, but Felix could hear how hollow his tone was, “I presented in my first year, a year earlier than I was supposed to, and I was an alpha. It surprised us all, because even Changbin hadn’t presented yet. I had all of these weird smells coming out of nowhere, everyone was on my radar constantly, and I couldn’t focus. It was such a shock to me and I had no idea how to handle it.”</p><p>Jisung reached up to his neck, his fingers ghosting over the plastic scent blockers layered over his scent glands, “I went back to school for a week, and it was fine. I managed to clear my head enough to do decent in class, and Chan helped me manage my issues. My scent was only barely starting to come in, and by the one-week-mark Chan said my scent was still nearly nonexistent. My parents were concerned that since I was an early bloomer I may never develop a proper scent, at least not as strong as an alpha was supposed to have. ”</p><p>Felix diligently listened, and each word hit Felix with so much compassion and understanding for Jisung’s situation. During the past few days Felix has experienced that feeling, like everything around you was too much, like your brain couldn’t focus because your attention was dragged elsewhere. He understood that confusion, how it made it impossible to concentrate because your wolf wouldn’t let you. It was frustrating.</p><p>“I accepted it,” Jisung continued with a huff, “That I wasn’t gonna be like other alphas. I thought I was just gonna have to deal with it and went along with my life. For a year I lived like that, with only small doses of my scent occasionally being noticeable if someone stands close enough to me. I thought my life was gonna be like that permanently, until I hit the time in my life I was <em> supposed </em> to present. I woke up one day with cinnamon all over my bedroom, it was so potent that even <em> I </em> was gagging in it.”</p><p>“I called for my mom,” Felix watched as Jisung struggled to come up with the words. He wondered if Jisung felt just as muddled as Felix did under all the pheromones, if he had a fuzzy memory of the day he woke up in his bedroom smothered in his own scent, if he had someone to help him feel better after, “She came running in with my dad and both of them just…  collapsed in my room as soon as they stepped in.”</p><p>There was a spike of fear in Felix’s chest, for Jisung and his parents. He had so many questions, questions he couldn’t and wouldn’t ask until Jisung had finished. He was scared for the past Jisung, for his parents, for the future the alpha had to deal with.</p><p>“I was so stupid, Felix,” Jisung sighed heavly with an aggressive shake of his head. He was staring at the ground as he spoke, and Felix didn’t blame him, “My mom was an omega, and my dad was a beta, they didn’t stand a chance fighting that off. My scent suffocated them so quickly and I panicked. I called Chan, he told me what to do, and eventually we had an ambulance at our house.”</p><p>“That’s when I found out I had irregular pheromone levels,” Jisung explained with a shrug that Felix couldn’t help but think was downplaying the alpha’s experience, “My parents recovered, thankfully, and I had to go on some meds that helped regulate my pheromones. They worked for the most part, with some normal setbacks and side effects. And I usually wear scent blockers on top of my meds to keep whatever the pills don’t suppress where it belongs when I’m in public, since I can’t control it like Chan or any alpha does.”</p><p>It sounded like this was a problem the alpha would be struggling with for the rest of his life, something that he would have to accommodate instead of cure. Jisung seemed to have accepted it, come to terms with what this meant for him and the people in his life, and that saddened the omega. Though he admired how Jisung didn’t let his condition dictate his life, that he still let his personality shine through, that he lived life to the fullest with a smile on his face.</p><p>“That’s why when I hugged you, you reacted so quickly,” Jisung continued to walk through the day, detailing just how Felix fell into the scenario he was in, “I got caught up in the moment like an <em> idiot </em>and hugged you after I left my scent blockers at home. Not only did it push you into subspace, but I was afraid it would push you so far you’d drop. Or end up like my parents did.”</p><p><b> <em>But I didn’t,</em> </b> Felix wrote out, breaking his own resolve to remain still as Jisung spoke, <b> <em>I actually enjoyed it. I never felt something like that before. You didn’t hurt me, I swear to you.</em> </b></p><p>“You had never felt subspace before?” Jisung asked, but quickly jumped back when he noticed Felix’s flushed face, “I mean, you don’t have to! It’s not uncommon for someone to not like subspace, I was just curious. You know? But you don’t have to answer me.”</p><p>He wasn’t sure if he was ready to have that conversation with Jisung yet. He was still confused by what he and Jinho had, what he thought subspace was supposed to be. Everything was still too fresh and Felix was just barely starting to understand everything. He didn’t want to confuse himself more, or drag Jisung into his issue that he barely had control over.</p><p>So he let it go, and luckily Jisung was more than willing to let that happen.</p><p>“Anyways,” The alpha trudged forward, “So I wanted to apologize to you for what I did, and I won’t let it happen ever again!”</p><p><em> Maybe I want it to happen again </em>, Felix thought momentarily but quickly discarded that useless wish.</p><p>Instead of admitting to the alpha, more than he already had, that he liked being put into subspace by his scent, Felix signed with his fingers as he mouthed the words ‘<em> It’s okay </em>’ with his lips. Jisung took a moment to process what the other wolf was saying, but as soon as it dawned on him he broke out into a cheeky smile.</p><p>“Good!” Jisung cheered, “I uh, mainly came to find you to apologize but I was actually curious if you wanted to eat together during your lunch break?”</p><p>Eating together sounded awfully friendly, and Felix wasn’t sure if that’s what he should be doing after spending a good portion of his week slightly obsessed over Jisung’s pack. The effects of subspace hadn’t worn off yet, if they ever would, and he was still battling with his omega in all of his everyday duties.</p><p>But Jisung looked so hopeful, and Felix was more than a little excited at the idea of spending more time with the alpha. Even with their less than ideal scenario, Felix wanted to get to know him. He wanted to know what traits made up such a bubbly person with only the kindest intentions, someone who searched floor after floor just so he could apologize to him.</p><p>So Felix said yes.</p><hr/><p>“<em> So, Jeongin thinks he knows what he wants to do for school now. </em>”</p><p>Chan was close to finishing his pile of work that had accumulated during the short period of time he hadn’t been able to focus. He only had one other report to look over before he could leave, and he had already started the final revision as he and Minho chatted through his cellphone as the omega was cooking dinner for the pack members that were home.</p><p>“Oh yeah?” Chan asked as he narrowed his eyes at a misspelled word, “What did he decide?”</p><p>“<em> Psychology. </em>”</p><p>“Hm,” Chan skimmed past the spelling mistakes with a suppressed sigh, “That’s a bit different from teaching.”</p><p>“<em> Yeah but he seems really happy about it. He’s a lot more excited than he was about teaching, </em> ” There was a clang from Minho’s end followed by a groan, “ <em> Damn it, I got red sauce on my shirt. </em>”</p><p>“Aw, I’m sorry Love,” Chan chuckled at the mumbled curses that grew more distant as Minho ran to the sink to clean off his shirt.</p><p>“<em> I’m never making spaghetti again </em> ,” Minho pouted when he returned to the phone call, “ <em> I wish there was someone else capable of cooking without burning down the apartment </em>.”</p><p>“What about Binnie?” Changbin wasn’t exactly the <em> best </em>choice for cooking but he was significantly better than if they put Seungmin in front of the oven.</p><p>“<em> Binnie’s not home enough to cook. And don’t even suggest Hyunjin, he would hurt himself within the first twenty seconds of him being in the kitchen. </em>”</p><p>“I wasn’t planning on it,” Chan shook his head even though Minho wouldn’t be able to see it, “That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”</p><p>“<em> So, how did Jisung’s talk with Felix go? </em>”</p><p>Chan paused in the middle of the sentence he was reading. He thought back to his and Felix’s conversation, the crying omega and distressed scent that had Chan barely holding back his alpha. From what Jisung had said, Felix acted nothing like the omega Chan had in his office the other day, and he was grateful that the janitor was in better spirits. He could hear Minho banging a kitchen utensil against the pot along with the muffled sounds of the TV playing in the background as he waited patiently for Chan to answer, “Is anyone there?”</p><p>“<em> No, everyone’s in one of the rooms and Hyunjin is sleeping on the couch. Do you want me to go off speaker? </em>”</p><p>“No it’s okay,” Chan leaned back in his chair, staring at the wall across from him as he thought back to what Jisung had told him earlier, “He told Felix about his situation.”</p><p>The sound of the kitchen spoon hitting the pot stopped.</p><p>“<em> Oh really? </em>” Minho was surprised, and Chan didn’t blame him. Even he was surprised Jisung had said anything to the omega about what he’d been through. It was a difficult time in Jisung’s life, one that he struggled with for a long time until he grew to accept what he was. It took a lot of healing, some therapy, and time to move on from a terrible memory. </p><p>If Jisung trusted Felix enough to tell him then Chan was happy for him, elated even. But he was worried it came out of necessity instead of want. That he told Felix because he felt like he owed it to him instead of because he wanted to share it with him.</p><p>“Yeah,” Chan continued, “I’m not sure how it came up but Jisung said Felix took it well, and that he accepted his apology. Then they ate lunch together.”</p><p>“<em> Well that’s good right? </em> ” Minho took the phone from the counter and his voice was suddenly much closer as he took the phone off speaker, “ <em> Jisung doesn’t need to feel so guilty anymore and he felt comfortable enough to tell Felix about his condition. That’s a pretty big improvement from what happened with Hyunjin. </em>”</p><p>Chan cringed at the memory of that awful argument, Jisung was rather scary when he was angry. And when they paired that with his uncontrollable pheremones, it was disastrous, “Well it’s also been at least a year and half since Jinnie joined the pack. Sungie has had a long time to grow.”</p><p>“<em> That’s true… </em>” Minho trailed off into silence, leaving Chan and the omega in an awkward lull of conversation.</p><p>“What are you thinking, Min?” The alpha prodded. Even over a phone call, he could tell when things were awry with his pack members, no amount of distance could keep him from seeing through the masks and walls they put up.</p><p>“<em> Do you think maybe Sungie… likes Felix? </em>”</p><p>“Well, yeah,” Chan blinked, his face morphing into a frown in his confusion, “If he didn’t like Felix why would he have hugged him out of nowhere?”</p><p>“<em> No- </em> ” Minho sighed, “ <em> Not as friends, Chan. Like-like, as in he views Felix as a possible pack mate. </em>”</p><p>“A possible pack mate?” Chan reeled back, “Minho, they barely know each other.”</p><p>“<em> That doesn’t really matter Chan </em> ,” The omega shot back with a bit of annoyance in his voice that Chan caught onto immediately. If he had to guess, Minho didn’t appreciate Chan’s blunt response, “ <em> That didn’t stop bonds from growing before. Look at us, we’re a prime example of sudden attraction out of a few seconds of interaction. </em>”</p><p>“That was different,” Chan muttered with a faint blush colored his cheeks.</p><p>“<em> Actually, I’m pretty sure drooling over an omega after they drop into the splits in front of you counts as sudden attraction leading to more. </em>”</p><p>“We were young!” The alpha countered with a wine, “And lonely, and I’m pretty sure you were trying to seduce me anyways.”</p><p>“<em> And if I was? </em> ” He could <em> hear </em> the smirk in his voice, “ <em> In case you haven’t noticed, Jisung and Felix are young too. It’s perfectly plausible for a connection to have formed in a short amount of time. </em>”</p><p>“Okay, and say you’re right,” Was it wrong that he kind of hoped he was right? “That Jisung likes Felix as a potential mate, what do you suggest we do?”</p><p>“<em> Right now, nothing, </em> ” Minho stated plainly, “ <em> We need to let them figure it out themselves, and if Jisung comes to you and says he’s interested in Felix being his mate, then you need to have a discussion with him and the pack like you did when everyone else joined. We need to make sure we’re all compatible. That is, if you approve of Felix? </em>”</p><p>“Felix is a good person,” Chan answered immediately, there was no need to worry about it. He had known from the moment he met the boy what he was a kind hearted person. And after the omega passed up the opportunity to sue Chan and his company for enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life, he felt even more secure in his assumption, “It’s not Felix I’m worried about.”</p><p>“<em> Then what is it? </em>”</p><p>“Remember when Hyunjin joined?” Chan idly rubbed his thumb over his phone case as he recalled the last addition to their pack, “He and Jisung were at each other's throats for weeks. None of us saw it coming.”</p><p>“<em> That’s because Jisung wasn’t used to an older alpha besides you entering the hierarchy, </em> ” Minho scoffed, “ <em> Not that hierarchy matters in this pack. It was stupid alpha stuff. Felix is an omega, Hyunjin will adore him and you know it, and Jisung already loves him. </em>”</p><p>Chan wasn’t really worried about Hyunjin, the alpha doted on the younger pack members relentlessly. Seungmin and Jisung being alpha’s didn’t allow it much, and Jeongin was a rather independent beta so Jinnie would most definitely offer too much love and care to a new addition. Jisung already got along with him, Chan had already had to fight with his alpha to back down from trying to treat the omega as his own, and the rest of the pack was an easy win if he was honest. And he’d only spoken to Felix twice so far.</p><p>There was just one person he was concerned about.</p><p>“And you?” Chan asked suddenly, a bit tactless if he was honest, but he needed to know, “Will you love him?”</p><p>“<em> Me? </em> ” Minho gave a biting laugh into the receiver, “ <em> You’re seriously worried about me? </em>”</p><p>“You’ve been the only omega since this pack was created, Min,” He spoke softly, careful to keep his tone level, “If another omega showed up, how would you react? How would your wolf react?”</p><p>“<em> I hardly think that’ll be an issue Chan, </em> ” Minho muttered, “ <em> I don’t know why you’d think I would be the problem. Have I given you a reason not to trust me? </em>”</p><p>“Absolutely not,” Chan instantly denied his claim with a sincere but authoritative voice, “Minho, I trust you with my life, with my family, with my everything. I only worry because I care about you, not because I don’t trust you.”</p><p>There was silence again. Chan shut his computer down, closing the report he was trying to finish as he gathered his bag. He wasn’t going to be getting any more work done, and he would rather continue this conversation in person when things were starting to go downhill.</p><p>“<em> Well it’s not like it matters yet anyways, </em> ” Minho said nonchalantly, “ <em> Jisung and Felix are probably still oblivious to their connection. We all have time before anything happens. </em>”</p><p>“If it happens,” Chan chimed in as he hoisted his bag over his shoulder and headed towards the door, “Sungie and Felix might just stay friends and nothing will come of this.”</p><p>“<em> You don’t really think that though, I can hear it in your voice. You think they're gonna realize eventually. </em>”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Chan waved at his secretary and kept his voice down as he walked through the hall towards the elevators, “I mean part of me does, but it’s also way too early to call this stuff. I like Felix though if that counts for anything.”</p><p>“<em> I’m sure you do </em> ,” Chan arrived at the elevators just as the door opened, “ <em> And I think we’d all like him too. And if we decide to pursue something with him, and if he wants to as well, I think we’d make it work. </em>”</p><p>“You’re very optimistic about this,” Chan grinned as the elevator began to descend, “But if things go that direction, then I hope it happens that way.”</p><p>“<em> You’re just too pessimistic, </em> ” Minho teased, “ <em> Always worried about everyone and their mothers I swear. </em>”</p><p>“It’s a habit,” Chan argued playfully, but stopped speaking as the elevator opened on another floor.</p><p>“Hello, Mr. Bang,” A black haired man gave a polite bow to the alpha as he entered the elevator.</p><p>“Oh hello Jinho,” Chan greeted him back, but when he was assaulted by the potent sea salt the man was emitting he had to hold back his grimace. Maybe he should reiterate what qualifies for required scent blockers or not, “Going down?”</p><p>“Yup! Gotta get home to the misses.”</p><p>“<em> Who even says ‘misses’ anymore? </em>”</p><p>“I hope you get home safe then,” Chan ignored Minho’s quip that luckily the other couldn’t hear.</p><p>“Will do, Sir.”</p><p>“<em>By the way, I wouldn’t mind another omega,</em>” Minho added on, “<em>Especially a younger one that I can spoil.</em>”</p><p>Chan couldn’t say he disagreed, because he also found he wouldn’t mind it one bit.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter four is here :D Thank you <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinystreetlamp">tinystreetlamp</a> for being my wonderful beta yet again!!!!</p><p>I wanna say thank you to everyone who commented on my last chapter. Thank you for all your kind wishes, me and my mom are doing a lot better!!! I’m sorry I’m very bad at responding to comments but I appreciate every single one!!! Thank you for supporting my story and being so amazing!!!</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey Felix! Did you hear about Sangmi?!” Yeonjun bounded up to the smaller janitor who was just pulling out his cart from the closet.</p><p>Felix turned just as Yeonjun nearly tumbled into him with a goofy grin. The beta quickly pulled himself back before completely running over the omega with two tiny stomps of his feet beneath him. He looked excited, which seemed impossible when the topic of discussion was about Sangmi The Rude Receptionist they all hated. Soobin trailed behind him at a much slower pace with his hands stuffed in his pockets, stopping right next to the jittery beta. He was also wearing a smile, though a bit smaller and more reserved as per Soobin’s character.</p><p>At the mention of Sangmi, Felix had instantly turned rigid. After all this was the receptionist that Felix avoided like the plague, the beta that had clawed open his skin and dragged him up to Chan’s office over a false assumption. She was one of the most hostile people Felix met, and he had no idea what could have caused her attitude other than that she didn’t like that Felix was an omega.</p><p>However seeing how happy his coworkers were, especially when he was aware they both despised Sangmi with a passion, he had a bit of hope as he shook his head in response.</p><p>“She got fired!” Yeonjun squealed in delight, “She was packing up her shit when we walked by the front, and apparently she was fired by <em> Mr. Bang himself </em>!”</p><p>
  <em> Fired? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Chan had fired Sangmi? </em>
</p><p>“And not just that,” Soobin placed a calm palm on Yeonjun’s shoulder, “Mr. Choi is on probation. He has a month to prove he’s capable before he’s booted next.”</p><p>After only a week of Felix’s rather unlucky string of events pausing in its tracks, he had come to realize Bang Entertainment was a lot more tame than he had previously experienced. While he may have had an interesting welcome to his new workplace including a nasty run in with his ex, the following days provided a nice change of pace. The rest of the staff Felix finally had a chance to meet were kind, the work got easier for him to complete, and he was on his way to receiving his first paycheck.</p><p>Now to top it off, the news of Sangmi’s termination along with Mr. Choi’s probation made Felix’s new found admiration for Chan and his pack to skyrocket yet again.</p><p>Felix blinked slowly, then as he processed the information his lips twitched upwards with a relieved sigh.</p><p>“See, I knew he’d be happy!” Yeonjun jumped in place.</p><p>Felix felt the best description of his current emotional state would be relief, but happiness wasn’t that far behind.</p><p>Sangmi had been one of the most stressful people Felix had the misfortune of working with, aside from Jinho himself. She seemed like an angry woman, one who’s frustration was projected onto everyone she could get her hands onto. She had hated Felix from the moment he stepped foot inside the building, and for what he didn’t know.</p><p>Even though her termination pleased the omega, he couldn’t help the big red question mark pounding in his brain asking <em> why </em> Chan, the CEO of Bang Entertainment, decided to fire the receptionist so suddenly.</p><p>His brain was saying it wasn’t because of Felix and instead because of her attitude, that she behaved unprofessionally to more than just him and the CEO had enough of it. Maybe she had been collecting a pile of warnings that were about to topple over before Felix even came into the picture. Maybe she was widely disliked among the staff and her interaction with Felix was the final straw for Chan to make a decision. Or perhaps it had nothing to do with Felix at all, after all it did take a few days for Sangmi to be fired after his encounter with her.</p><p>But his omega was easily persuading his heart into more dangerous territory, one that insisted Chan fired her for <em> him </em> because he cared about him as an individual. That the alpha had no intention of ridding his building of the unfavorable receptionist, until Felix’s unfortunate experience with her just moments before he fell head first into subspace at the hands of Jisung. </p><p>His omega <em> really </em> wanted this to be an act of affection, to be a sign that Chan was thinking of him the same way Felix was thinking about his pack even a week after their scene in the CEO’s office.</p><p>But that didn’t explain Mr. Choi who was also supposedly in hot water with the alpha. If Chan really did all of this because of Felix, then why get on Mr. Choi’s case as well? Felix hadn’t mentioned the unreliable manager to the CEO at all.</p><p>“Hey Felix, are you busy after work?”</p><p>Felix blinked away the thoughts murking up his mind as he turned his attention to Soobin who was staring at him with that look again. The one that left Felix feeling like Soobin could see right through him, and even though Felix trusted both of his coworkers, the alpha had given Felix the implication that he knew more than he led on. </p><p>It worried Felix for obvious reasons, one of which being that he felt wildly out of control with an alpha’s calculating gaze analyzing everything Felix did. Felix liked Soobin as a person, because Soobin as a person was kind and helpful, and he tried to remind himself of that each time he found Soobin watching him like this. But each time he felt a cold uncertainty in his chest as the quiet stare locked eyes with him, revealing none of the alpha’s thoughts to the omega no matter how much Felix tried to find them.</p><p>Nevertheless, the omega shook his head. It was their Friday and Felix had learned that the janitors were awarded with a half day each Friday that let them leave work around 7 PM rather than 12 at night. He didn’t have anything to busy himself with after work, and he was off work for the next two days. So long as it didn’t involve money, Felix should be free.</p><p>“Great!” Yeonjun chimed in with just as much enthusiasm as earlier, “Wanna hang out with us and our pack? We’re gonna barbeque and play games tonight.”</p><p>
  <em> Pack? </em>
</p><p>This was the first time Felix was hearing of Soobin and Yeonjun’s pack, and to hear that they both were in a pack <em> together </em> made something strange twist in Felix’s stomach. Most wolves were in a pack of some sort anyways, whether it be a family or platonic unit or a romantic partnership, and it made sense given how close they were that they were in one. Felix should have known they were in a pack together from the start.</p><p>It was just that Felix had a sudden reminder of how <em> strange </em> he was compared to the rest of society.</p><p>He was a mute male omega, already an anomaly on it’s own, that was packless and struggling to take care of himself. Most omegas never leave their family pack until they find another more suitable pack that they could find themselves living out the rest of their lives peacefully in. Or there’s always the option to fall in love with one wolf that you shared a single love for. </p><p>Omegas living on their own were unheard of.</p><p>Lone wolves were typically alphas with extra aggressive anger issues, and even they could usually find one single wolf to mate with eventually, even if they couldn’t get along with a pack. So how had Felix managed to be one of the rarest omegas in existence, doomed to eternal disappointments?</p><p>“Felix?” Soobin called for his attention again, and Felix internally cursed himself for losing himself to his self deprecating thoughts once more, “Do you wanna come?”</p><p>Felix nodded instantly before he had a chance to fall down another rabbit hole.</p><p>“Sweet!” Yeonjun clapped, “You can just come home with us if you want.”</p><p>Felix accepted, much to Yeonjun’s excitement.</p><p>Soobin still eyed Felix with concern, one of the only emotions Felix could recognize from the woodsy scent mixing with the alpha’s scent blockers. But then his face flipped and the alpha regarded him with a soothing smile as if he hadn’t been scrutinizing Felix under his gaze moments ago. The omega tried not to let it bother him, but the uneasy feeling in his stomach still wouldn’t leave.</p><p>As the three began to go their separate ways, Soobin let Yeonjun travel further up the corridor as he fell inline with Felix, “You know if you need anything, you can come to us right?”</p><p>The omega turned to face Soobin as they walked. He was looking at Felix again, the same strange face, but now Felix could notice some hesitance. Why Soobin was hesitant made no sense to Felix considering the alpha was content to stare at him with a calculating stare far too often, but he figured maybe it had to do with Soobin never outwardly questioning the omega prior to this moment.</p><p>Felix nodded in response.</p><p>“I mean it,” Soobin reiterated, “We may not be super close but we care about you. We don’t want to see you hurt.”</p><p>Soobin looked away, and Felix had half the urge to stop him and ask what the hell he meant. But he decided to remain silent until the alpha had shifted back to his smiling face with parting words, “See you later.”</p><p>Then the other janitor was heading down the hallway, turning the corner towards the lobby as Felix was left alone. Questions turned and molded in his head as he deciphered what Soobin was saying, what the alpha may already know.</p><p>Implying they didn’t want to see Felix hurt could be related to Jinho, afterall Yeonjun had witnessed Felix’s breakdown after being cornered by his ex-boyfriend in the bathroom. But as far as Felix knew, Soobin didn’t know about what truly happened. Even <em> Yeonjun </em> didn’t know what truly happened because Felix hadn’t told him. Maybe Yeonjun had given a vague outline of what he saw and both of them drew their own conclusions from what they could gather.</p><p>Or, maybe Soobin was referencing the situation with Sangmi bringing him up to Chan’s office. The alpha had seen him enter the CEO’s waiting room with Sangmi’s nails clawing at his skin, and Soobin’s odd look had begun shortly afterwards. Maybe they were worried about Felix and Chan’s pack and what their interaction could have led to. Afterall Felix could admit he had been acting strange after that meeting, both of his coworkers had called out to him when he was caught zoning out time after time.</p><p>Felix took a deep breath and shook his head. There was no use worrying about it because he would never really know what Soobin was thinking unless the alpha told him. But one thing was for sure, Felix needed to keep his thoughts in line. Soobin knew <em> something </em> and Felix wanted to keep whatever it was contained.</p><p>The omega continued through the building and loaded into the elevator. Felix had pretty much taken claim to the floor with practice rooms as it was one of the floors he was always assigned to. Honestly, he really enjoyed it. The entire floor consisted of eight different rooms along with a lobby area and a set of bathrooms. All of the decor was bright and eccentric, something Felix thought displayed just how lively dancing has always been to the omega.</p><p>When he arrived, he immediately got to work. One of the practice rooms was occupied so Felix began in the room directly next to it. His keycard unlocked the door, something Felix was infinitely grateful for, and he let himself inside. Before he even flicked on the lights, the sound of the wistful piano keys bounced across the walls and echoed into the large room.</p><p>For a moment, Felix thought he had walked in on someone and quickly pulled himself from the room. But as he stood in the hallway he realized the music he heard was actually coming from the occupied room next door. Felix peeked his head back inside to turn on the lights and survey the room. Sure enough, it was empty as Felix had predicted with the murmurs of piano notes drifting into the space.</p><p>Upon further inspection, the rooms seemed to be separated by a retracting wall which explained why the other room’s music was so easy to listen to from here.</p><p>Felix didn’t mind it one bit. In fact it was pleasant to hear a melodic tune as he began his monotonous tasks to clean the musty practice room. The piano had been powerful, sporadic and desperate as the piece of music moved through the cords into something more somber. As he began sweeping up corners of dust the janitor found himself swaying to the music. It wasn’t enough to be considered dancing, but he still tapped his feet to the beat of the song as he traveled from one place to another.</p><p>The way the pianist was drastically winding up the music into a chaotic overflow of emotions was reminiscent of the swirling temptations and riddled obsessions the omega had been plagued with lately. As the track overflowed with frustration, loss, sorrow, and desire, Felix also floated back to the most certain hunger he had for a specific pack paired with the repulsive response he had to his lustful imagination. As his mind clashed with what he thought he wanted, the music also fought between a battle of love and lost war.</p><p>The song slowed down it’s pacing until it drifted into its last notes. Felix’s swaying body drifted along with the music, as did his mind as he let the tune take over. As the keys carefully trickled into the next, Felix’s feet paused as his arms dropped to his side. He was sucked in as each key seemed to be struggling to play itself. The notes stuttered as the pianist barely pressed hard enough on the keys.</p><p>His chest felt heavy as the song came to an end, ending with a bittersweet harmony that struck the omega.</p><p>He needed a moment to let the music sink into his heart, as he always did when he felt for a particular piece. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he reveled in the emotions that built up inside of him. All of the uncertainty, the insecurity, the fear and the confusion Felix had been holding onto and hiding in the depths of his mind came to the forefront. They wafted over him at once as the ending notes reverberated in his head.</p><p>This piece of music resonated with him, and his heart was yearning for more.</p><p>Then the song began again, restarting the melancholic tune Felix had fallen in love with. He relished in the story that the melody was portraying once again as he let himself get lost in the music. Eyes closed and body listing back and forth on his heels as he envisioned a twisting thorned rose stem creating delicate patterns in the back expanse of his mind in timing with the piano.</p><p>Until a terrifying crash resounded against the dividing wall followed by a painful string of curses. The omega’s eyes flew open with a muted gasp. The serenity of the music was drowned out by a few bangs and someone slamming their hands into the wall with a groan. Stomping footsteps traveled across the room further away from Felix and the music was abruptly shut off.</p><p><em> “Fuck!” </em>A deep voice hissed.</p><p>Felix doubled back, nearly dropping his dusting rag as he hurriedly twisted in a circle. For a mere second, the omega had the passing thought that unintentionally eavesdropping on the stranger was probably a bad move. But given that the walls weren’t exactly the most soundproof and that he had been focused on the music to begin with, Felix figured it was kind of impossible to ignore the obviously injured wolf in the room next door.</p><p>Would it be out of bounds for him to check on the other?</p><p>He didn’t know this person, and it wasn’t his place to insert himself into a situation he wasn’t a part of. Yet as the seconds passed, he kept arguing with the itch he had to run inside that other room. Maybe it was the omega in him, desperate to take care of wolves around him when they were in need. Maybe it had to do with the way his heart was still roaring with emotion from the piano that had disappeared. Maybe it was he was just too nosey and failed at keeping to a dull and boring life.</p><p>Even if he didn’t know the person in the other room, he felt inclined to check on them at the very least. He <em> had </em> heard the commotion, and it was just common courtesy to make sure they were alright. For all Felix knew, they could be seriously injured.</p><p>In that case, he quickly grabbed his new notebook and abandoned his janitor’s cart in the empty practice room. As he entered the hall again it was still barren, however another room across the hall seemed in use. Felix paid them no mind as he rounded to the door that held the beautiful music and gave three steady knocks before letting himself inside.</p><p>At first, Felix thought he had entered the wrong room. Or perhaps he was wrong entirely and he had imagined the pleasant hums of the piano in his head, because when he peeked his head inside of the door the practice room was engulfed in darkness. </p><p>Then as his eyes adjusted to the unexpected lack of light, a sudden flash of a phone screen illuminated a surprised face that sat on the floor across the room.</p><p>“Sorry, I’m in here,” The breathy voice announced.</p><p>Their voice was the same as the one Felix had heard earlier, so the omega felt a bit more at ease knowing he wasn’t going crazy. The smell of lavender belonging to an alpha wafted in the air and mixed with his rose scent blockers. Even though this was an alpha, and even though the scent of lavender was swirling around the room without the other attempting to reel it back, Felix found he didn’t react to it the same way he usually would.</p><p>This wasn’t an alpha scent that made him immediately submit like Jinho’s sea salt, nor was it one that pushed him into subspace like Jisung’s cinnamon. This scent reminded him of Chan’s, calming and soothing without the pressure of dominance, yet this person wasn’t trying to confine it like Chan had. The alpha let his pheromones do as they pleased, and it fluttered across the air without fear of what it might do to the omega standing alone in the entrance.</p><p>It instantly made Felix trust this wolf, because his pheromones told him he could. The lavender wasn’t dangerous in the slightest. </p><p>Still, the lights were off. And Felix kind of needed them to be on in order for the other to understand what he was saying. So with the door still cracked open, the janitor used the light streaming in from the hallway to show the stranger his finger pointing towards the light switch.</p><p>“Uh,” The alpha blinked, “You wanna turn on the light?”</p><p>Felix delightfully nodded, it wasn’t often someone understood him so quickly without him needing to explicitly write it out. Even if it was just a simple question, every time Felix would be heard just as easily as any other person by only his hand movements, he felt a surge of accomplishment. Especially when that person didn’t even seem fazed by his silence.</p><p>“Yeah go for it,” The other answered.</p><p>Given that this person was submerged in darkness, Felix opted for turning on only one light switch so as to avoid shocking them with too much of the artificial light at once. The person had flinched at first, most likely anticipating a flush of brightness only to have half of what he had expected. But when the rooms went from pitch black to a partial dim instead, the alpha shook his head in surprise before matching Felix’s gaze with a grateful one.</p><p>“Hi,” The alpha greeted with a dazzling smile, still sitting on the floor as the omega shuffled further into the room and shut the door behind him, “I’m Hyunjin.”</p><p>The first thing Felix noticed about Hyunjin was his long black hair, naturally curling over his shoulders into nearly perfect points. He had a section of it tied up in a ponytail, but a few of the strands had fallen out and framed his face perfectly. He was obviously dancing if the heavy breathing and flushed face gave anything away, but he was also sitting with one leg extended out. His shoelaces were untied on one foot, but he made no move to fix them as he leaned against the wall with a curious face while he watched the janitor survey the room’s occupant.</p><p>“Was my music too loud?” Hyunjin tilted his head to the side, “I can turn it down if you need me too.”</p><p>Felix instantly shook his head, that was honestly the last thing he wanted. The piano was far too beautiful to be hushed and contained to one room when it deserved to drift outside of confined space for the entire building to hear. Instead, the omega entered further into the room and flipped open his notebook.</p><p>Hyunjin sat up straighter as Felix approached with his head down and hands scribbling away in the notebook. When Felix finished writing and handed the notebook to the alpha, Hyunjin shot him a sweet grin as he pulled the book into his hands.</p><p>The strange feeling Felix had been having recently was back and panging against his chest, reminding him of the sweet call of subspace his omega was still craving. The lavender did nothing but lure his omega deeper into his subconscious, begging for the safety blanket he was wrapped in back in Chan’s office. He forcefully pushed it back in annoyance, but the frustration he felt for himself died quickly when he laid his eyes back on the alpha.</p><p>He was incredibly pretty.</p><p><b> <em>I heard something hit the wall in here earlier</em> </b> , Felix watched Hyunjin’s lips mouth along with the omega’s words, <b> <em>Are you okay? Do you need help?</em> </b></p><p>“Ah, yeah I was dancing and I fell,” Hyunjin huffed with a pout that Felix found far cuter than he figured he should, “I’m just debating on whether I should call someone to pick me up or not.”</p><p>Felix observed the way Hyunjin was sitting before him, his one extended leg and untied shoe looking more like a cause for concern. Hyunjin trailed his gaze along with Felix, landing on the untied shoe with a grimace, “Yeah, I sprained it again.”</p><p>Felix’s head shot up at the word <em> again </em> with pinched brows, then traveled back down to the foot that was still jammed into the shoe. If this was a recurring injury, then it explained why Hyunjin must be relatively calm. He’d dealt with this before apparently, so to him was just a minor inconvenience. </p><p>Hyunjin seemed content to sit there for a moment as he debated on his choices, meanwhile Felix was antsy to get the alpha’s most likely swollen foot <em> out </em> of his shoe. His tongue clicked against his teeth as he shook his head and glared at the untied shoe, this absolutely would <em> not </em> work.</p><p>Felix took back his notebook and placed it on the floor next to Hyunjin, wrote out a sentence quickly and left it there for the alpha to spin it on the floor and read it himself as Felix went searching through the various drawers and cabinets in the room.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’m going to get the first aid kit.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh you don’t have to do that!” Hyunjin called out to the omega who only waved him off, “No really, this happens all the time! It’s just a sprain, it’s not a big deal.”</p><p>Felix paused, yanking his arms out the cabinet with a slam as he swiftly turned on his heels. He leveled Hyunjin’s surprise shock with a disapproving glare and pursed frown, and without thinking his hands aggressively signed his frustration out with precise motions. </p><p>
  <em> You need to take care of your injury. How many times has this happened? </em>
</p><p>Felix spun back around, shoving aside various equipment in search of the first aid kit yet again. Hyunjin sat still, blinking away his confusion with parted lips until he finally whispered, “I have no idea what you just said.”</p><p>Felix ignored him, partially because he couldn’t properly communicate unless he went back to his notebook, but mainly because he was too focused on his task at hand. Hyunjin watched helplessly as the omega shuffled around for the first aid kit in each other the storage units they had in the room until he finally pulled out a white box with a triumphant grin.</p><p>Felix quickly situated himself back in front of Hyunjin, his tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth as he popped open the lid and pulled out a roll of elastic bandages. He raised his head to look at the alpha again who was watching him with wide eyes, then pointed to the injured foot with one hand and the other hand grabbing the bandages.</p><p>As much as Felix wanted to just wrap the whole boy in bandages regardless of what he said, he respected the alpha’s personal space and boundaries. If he denied, Felix would definitely be pretty upset because this was an injury the omega did <em> not </em>want to ignore, but it wasn’t his place to go against whatever the other wanted. However, he would strongly advise against it with a scowl if the alpha said no.</p><p>Luckily, Hyunjin nervously nodded his head in Felix’s direction.</p><p>The omega breathed a sigh of relief as he dropped the bandages back on top of the white plastic box. Looking down at the foot that was still stuffed inside the shoe, he could already see the agitated skin that was pressed against the fabric. His first step was to get the shoe off of Hyunjin’s foot, which he was almost certain was going to hurt.</p><p>He decided to start with gently loosening the laces along the entire shoe, which didn’t seem to hurt the alpha too much. It was when Felix began trying to shimmy it off of the alpha’s foot that the other hissed in pain. The omega instinctively tried to sympathetically coo reassurance at the other, but his vocal cords strained against his throat in retaliation.</p><p>For a second, he thought a sound had almost come out, and then he froze with a panic stricken face.</p><p>Blood was rushing to his face, his rapid heart beat roaring in his head and tremors running through his fingers as he swallowed the anxiety crawling up his throat. He hadn’t tried to speak in years, even when he was desperate to be heard, even when he wanted to scream out his stress and frustration, even when his muted sobs felt like they weren’t enough to cease the pain he felt for the past few miserable years he spent alone... Even then, he never <em> tried </em>to make the sound come out.</p><p>Sure, he’d hoped one day he would speak again. Sometimes he imagined what it would be like to suddenly start up a conversation with the people who met him after he stopped speaking. When things got difficult and speaking was one of the things that would instantly cure his struggles, Felix willed his vocal cords and willpower to cooperate and make some sounds out of his body.</p><p>But never once had he attempted to make a sound, not even in his most vulnerable moments, yet here he was actively attempting to speak with his useless voice just to calm a hurt alpha he just met.</p><p>And that <em> terrified </em>him.</p><p>Felix glanced at the alpha who was still recovering from the swelling sting in his foot. He hadn’t noticed Felix’s strange behavior, and the omega wanted to keep it that way.</p><p>He raised his head with a compassionate smile that hid his fearful realization from moments ago. As Hyunjin met his eyes, the omega formed a fist over his chest and rubbed circles over his chest as he mouth the word <em> sorry </em>.</p><p>“Sorry?” Hyunjin grunted softly, “Are you saying sorry? That’s okay. I’m just being a baby.”</p><p>Felix wanted to reassure him that it was perfectly fine to be in pain, especially if he was one to frequently hurt himself, but he knew better than to hope for his voice to speak on his behalf again.</p><p>He thought after so many years of silence, he would be excited that his mind was willing to speak again. But with his own body declining his subconscious desire to speak, he realized how scary the thought of speaking was to him. He didn’t want to hear his abnormally deep voice, the one that was associated with alphas and not omegas. He didn’t want to be ostracized more than he already was, because a mute male omega was slightly more socially acceptable than a male omega that sounded like an alpha.</p><p>Or maybe he was coming up with excuses.</p><p>“Okay I’m ready,” Hyunjin steeled himself against the wall, looking more like he was about to go to war rather than get his shoe pulled off his foot, “Just yank it off like a bandaid. All in one go. Please, don’t prolong my suffering.”</p><p>He was being quite dramatic if Felix was being honest, but the quirky personality of the alpha relaxed the omega from the whirlwind in his head. Felix had time later to figure out what was going on with himself later, but Hyunjin needed <em> someone </em> to get his injury into a suitable condition before the alpha tried to ignore it and make this injury another one of his <em> again’s </em>.</p><p>So Felix raised three fingers, visibly counting down all the way to one and then gently tried to easily slip Hyunjin’s foot out of the shoe. The alpha still inhaled sharply as his limb was jostled in the air, and once Felix successfully pulled the shoe off and discarded it to the side, the alpha aggressively blew a puff of air in the bangs framing his face.</p><p>“Oh thank god that’s over,” Hyunjin leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, “That’s always my least favorite part.”</p><p>Felix gave an incredulous look towards the alpha who must have sensed the omega’s stare when he opened one eye to peek in his direction, “I mean like, always as in rarely. Because this rarely happens.”</p><p>Felix cocked an eyebrow at the obvious cover up, but Hyunjin just bit his lip and looked to the side. If Felix wasn’t so preoccupied with his own issues and the still unbandaged foot in front of him, he may have spent a little longer looking at his spectacular side profile and plump lips. But the omega had to get his head out of the clouds before he lost his footing.</p><p>He reached out for his notebook which Hyunjin easily slid over to him, wrote out a sentence, and slid it back as he unraveled the bandage in his lap.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Were you dancing with the lights off?</em> </b>
</p><p>“Ah, yeah I was…” The alpha explained as Felix peeled off his sock and began firmly wrapping the bandage around his foot and ankle, “I think better in the dark.”</p><p><em> That’s probably why you keep getting hurt </em>, Felix thought to himself, but it wasn’t bitter in the slightest.</p><p>Hyunjin was by far one of the tamest alphas he had ever seen. Jisung was a close second, but he was still far more energetic than Felix expected. Hyunjin was calm, kind of like Chan, but in an innocent way. He wasn’t malicious or aggressive, and his thought process seemed very straight forward. He seemed like the kind of alpha that would gladly cuddle you into submission rather than dominate it. </p><p>And he didn’t need that image in his head, because it only served to add to his list of constant reminders that his omega wanted <em> just that. </em></p><p>When Felix finished wrapping the alpha’s ankle, the dancer grinned in relief, “Thank you so much. You really didn’t have to do that.”</p><p>He didn’t, but he would never have left him to suffer alone. It was in Felix’s nature to take care of others, and not even just because he was an omega. He couldn’t ignore someone hurting when he had the capability to help in some capacity. </p><p><b> <em>I wouldn’t leave you alone</em> </b> , Felix wrote out, <b> <em>And I don’t want to leave you alone. Is there someone you can call to get you? I can help you to their car.</em> </b></p><p>“Oh it’s really okay, uh…” he leaned forwards with narrowed eyes and he read Felix’s name tag off of his name tag, “Yongbok? I couldn’t ask that of you. I’ll be okay on my own.”</p><p>Felix determindly wrote out another sentence, <b> <em>I’m helping you. You can’t walk on this foot for at least three weeks. And we need to get you ice</em> </b>.</p><p>“Three weeks?!” He proclaimed loudly as he tried to lift himself on the ground, but Felix was quick to push him back down with a challenging look, “I can’t <em> not walk </em> for three weeks! Have you met me? I can’t sit still for that long!”</p><p>He disregarded the fact that he <em> didn’t </em>know Hyunjin, but he still seemed to understand that the alpha was definitely one of those types of people that couldn’t relax for a prolonged time period. Hence why he kept spraining his ankle.</p><p>
  <b> <em>You’re not walking.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Ugh come on,” Hyunjin whined, “Chan is gonna think it’s way worse than it is if he finds out you had to help me walk.”</p><p>
  <em> Chan? </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Bang Chan?</em> </b>
</p><p>Felix eyed Hyunjin once more, this time with more consideration, could he be another one of Chan’s pack members? There was always the chance that Hyunjin’s Chan wasn’t the same Chan that owned Bang Entertainment. Maybe it was a coincidence, and Felix wasn’t having a strange encounter with yet another one of the mysterious pack members that seemed to haunt Felix in and out of his dreams.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s my pack alpha,” Hyunjin grumbled, “And he’s relentlessly overbearing when we get hurt so don’t you <em> dare </em>tell him.”</p><p>Oh he was <em> definitely </em> telling him.</p><hr/><p>Chan had just exited from a meeting with some of his financial agents. It was a routine conference, one he used to have monthly but lately it was once every two weeks. The company was growing larger, the cost of production was climbing the ladder, and their revenue was rapidly exceeding their expectations. It was great news for Chan and his pack who had helped him build their future, everything they had imagined was coming true.</p><p>He was planning to take his pack mates with him to lunch as a treat, afterall it wasn’t often that he willingly left the office during work. He was checking his watch to note the time, only 12:56 PM, when his secretary turned the corner and flagged him down in the hallway.</p><p>“Mr. Bang!” She scurried up to him, slightly out of breath and her cellphone clutched in her hand. The CEO startled at the usually put together beta that was struggling to run in her work heels. She looked like she may have rushed down the flight of emergency stairs rather than take the elevator, and it instantly put Chan’s nerves on alert.</p><p>“Chunhei,” He greeted the other as he met her halfway down the hallway, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”</p><p>“It’s not me Sir,” She lifted her cellphone, which he just realized had an active call going, “Your pack member is hurt.”</p><p>“Who? Where is he?” Chan’s mind instantly shifted from the profit margins he was still processing to the raging wolf that took the reins. He had memorized each of his pack members schedules, regardless of how stifling some of his mates found his constant supervision, specifically for situations like these. He trusted his pack with his life, but sometimes emergencies happened and it was in everyone’s best interest that Chan already had a step out of the door. When he didn’t have to jump hurdles just to find out where his packmates were, it made fixing the issue just that much easier.</p><p>“Here Sir, he’s on the phone.”</p><p>Chan snagged the phone from Chunhei’s grasp, a little too forcefully if he was honest which he would apologize for later. But in the moment, his only goal was ensuring the safety of his pack, and any hesitance was discarded when it came to mates. He followed his secretaries footsteps, choosing to forgo the elevator in favor of running down a few flights of stairs. If his pack was hurt, there was no point in waiting for an elevator.</p><p>“Hello?” Chan pushed the phone up to his ear, listening in for the voice that would be on the other end of the line.</p><p>“<em> Hi Channie </em>,” Hyunjin responded with a light voice, one that sounded more like he was trying to cover something up rather than a pained one.</p><p>“Jinnie,” Chan hummed, already taking the path down to the dance rooms where he knew the other alpha would be, “Are you okay? Chunhei said you were hurt.”</p><p>“<em> Hurt?! </em> ” Hyunjing gasped on the other end, “ <em> I have no idea where she got that idea, I’m completely fine. Don’t worry about me- Ow! Stop that! </em>”</p><p>Chan faltered for a moment as Hyunjin’s voice got further away from the speaker as if he was seemingly arguing with someone else, but as Chan listened in he couldn’t hear anyone else. He was still in the dancer rooms, wasn’t he? “Hyunjin? Where are you?”</p><p>“<em> Nowhere! </em> ” The younger alpha squeaked into the receiver, but quickly shouted back at whoever he was arguing with, “ <em> Would you quit it! I’m not ticklish! </em>”</p><p>“Yes you are?” Chan said absent mindedly.</p><p>“<em> No! I’m not- Stop! </em> ” The alpha giggled with a shriek, “ <em> Chan, make him stop! </em>”</p><p>“Who’s with you?” Chan asked as he skipped a few steps. He was still heading for the dance room because that’s where Hyunjin was <em> supposed </em> to be, and he could only hope that his packmate was still there when he arrived.</p><p>Unfortunately, Hyunjin's strained giggling did nothing to reassure him. His voice got further away again as a small thud sounded in the receiver. Fear took root in the alpha’s mind for a moment, and he was seconds away from shouting for his packmate to speak to him until the giggles continued.</p><p>Just as the CEO reached the floor his packmate was supposed to be, the alpha slammed open the stairway door and sprinted towards the entrances. There were no windows into the rooms, so Chan had to listen for whichever room didn’t have music playing. He opened a few doors that granted him an empty room, but on his third try he opened the door to the sight of Hyunjin rolling on the floor with the very omega that kept getting tangled up in his packs affairs tickling him.</p><p>Lee Felix.</p><p>Upon Chan’s appearance, Felix pulled back from Hyunjin who then dramatically gasped for air now that he wasn’t being subjected to the endless tickles the omega was forcing onto him. He pushed his back against the wall with heaving breaths while Felix crossed his arms over his chest. Chan let his eyes drag over Felix’s irritated scowl which had gravitated from Hyunjin to the pack alpha, then to the obvious bandaged foot that Hyunjin had extended out.</p><p>“What happened?” Chan stepped over to two wolves seated by the wall and joined them on the floor. Hyunjin bit his lip as he skillfully avoided Chan’s gaze, which if Chan was being honest, he was used to. Hyunjin and Jisung were a lot alike, which was part of the reason they fought a lot at the beginning of their relationship. Both were independent when it came to showing their worth, and any weakness was met with anger and denial.</p><p>When he heard Hyunjin on the other side of the phone, he was fully expecting to fight tooth and nail to get the truth out of him. </p><p>But then Felix was grabbing for his notebook, startling both of the alpha’s in the room as he wrote out a few scratchy sentences and presented them to Chan.</p><p><b> <em>He sprained his ankle </em> </b> <b> <em>again</em> </b> <b> <em> because he was dancing in the dark.</em> </b></p><p>“Again?” Chan raised his head to see Felix experatedly nodded at him, then turned to see Hyunjin’s sheepish smile staring back at him.</p><p>It wasn’t exactly a secret that Hyunjin tended to shoulder pain without telling the others, and he’s been caught hiding his injuries more times than Chan could count. It always troubled the pack alpha that the younger never confided in him when he needed to. Chan typically found out about these things by word of mouth, occasional slip up on Hyunjin’s part, or the slight scent of distress that would peak through when the pain would become too much to bear for the younger alpha.</p><p>And it wasn’t like this happened rarely, Hyunjin was an accident magnet.</p><p>“Jinnie,” Chan sighed softly, and even though he was slightly disappointed that his pack mate was trying to cover up his injury yet again, the CEO kept his tone gentle, “What have I said about hiding these things? It’s not good for you.”</p><p>“But it’s really not that big of a deal,” Hyunjin insisted, “Look, I can still move it and everything!”</p><p>Then Hyunjin was flexing his foot, and Chan cringed as the swollen flesh pressed against the tight compression of the bandage. Chan was already reaching out when Felix put a warning palm on Hyunjin’s shin.</p><p>The omega looked positively furious, a look Chan never imagined he could have seen on the sweet janitor he’d had the pleasure of meeting. He was eyeing Hyunjin with a threatening glare that almost dared him to keep going. Chan was reminded yet again just how expressive Felix could be even in his silence as his honey scent warned them to comply with his will. </p><p>It was something Chan had experienced with Minho. While omega pheromones can still contain warning signs and commands, they didn’t work the same way an alpha’s did. Chan didn’t feel any compelling need to follow what Felix was so obviously trying to tell them, and his alpha viewed the exchange of scent as an impressive tactic to get his attention. It was an omega’s way of being heard when the alpha was too deep in their head, and Chan could easily say it was working.</p><p>Both he and Hyunjin had their eyes trained on him.</p><p>“Fine!” Hyunjin groaned as he aggressively crossed his arms, “I won’t move it. <em> Or </em>walk. You’re welcome.”</p><p>That seemed to be the right thing to say as Felix backed down. His scent diminished into it’s normal potency and his challenging facial features calmed into a pleased grin.</p><p>He reminded Chan <em> so much </em> of Minho.</p><p>Omegas were clever, calming, and smart. As much as Chan was pack alpha, Minho’s position as pack omega was nothing to laugh at. He was just as important as Chan, and they both worked together seamlessly, because while there’s things alphas can do that omegas can’t, it’s also the same the other way around.</p><p>Alphas dominate, they lead, they control and they take charge of a pack legally. In all signed legal documents, the government views Chan responsible for all six members underneath him. If anything happened to them, then Chan was the primary guardian that was contacted. If they did anything, then Chan was thrown into hot water with them. He held power with his alpha voice and he had a leg up in society.</p><p>Omegas submit, but it wasn’t in the way that they were helpless. They were powerful in their own biology, sneaky and intelligent when they went about their life. Omegas kept a household running and provided the care and affection that alphas had never received in their life. They held a nurturing instinct that made them masters at getting their way with stupid alphas that didn’t take care of themselves. They knew how to calm someone down, rile someone up, and keep attention where they wanted it at.</p><p>An omega had more power than society realized, and both Minho and Felix utilized it extremely well.</p><p>“Thank you, Felix,” Chan said gratefully, “Who knows how long he would have tried to keep this from me.”</p><p>“Felix?” Hyunjin turned to the omega, “I thought your name was Yongbok. Wait, are you the same Felix that Jisung talks about?”</p><p>“Yes, he is,” Chan answered with a slight grin, and he didn’t miss the way Felix lit up at the mention of Jisung, “By the way Felix, would you like me to get you a different ID card? One that has your preferred name?”</p><p>Chan had been meaning to ask, but given they hadn’t met more than two times prior he wasn’t given the chance to.</p><p>The omega nodded excitedly, then made a motion with his hand while mouthing the words <em> thank you </em>.</p><p>“Are you using sign language?” Hyunjin asked and received another nod from Felix, “That’s so cool!”</p><p>
  <em> Sign language. </em>
</p><p>Knowing sign language would definitely help with communication between them and the janitor. It would eliminate the need for his notebook all together. Chan was already fluent in English, Korean, and Japanese to begin with, maybe he should look into learning another language?</p><p>“Alright Jinnie, let’s get you home,” Chan pushed himself into a crouch.</p><p>Hyunjin agreed easily, but as he tried to lift himself from the ground, Chan reached a hand out to push him back down, “Uh-uh, you’re not walking. I’m carrying you all the way to the car.”</p><p>“Oh my god,” Hyunjin collapsed against the wall with a whine, “This is so embarrassing.”</p><hr/><p>“Welcome to our humble abode!” Yeonjun shouted in excitement as he threw open the apartment door.</p><p>“Careful of the neighbors,” Soobin scolded softly, but Yeonjun simply blew past the warning and ran down the hallway, shoes tossed to the side of the entrance as he called for one of their other pack members.</p><p>“Aish, we’re gonna have a noise complaint for sure,” Soobin neatly placed his shoes against the wall, taking the liberty to do the same with Yeonjun’s before turning to Felix, “You can put your shoe’s anywhere.”</p><p>Felix quickly discarded his roughed up sneakers and placed them next to his coworkers. His own beat up shoes contrasted greatly with the bright colored boots his coworkers seemed to enjoy wearing, and their pack mates also had a great selection of footwear to choose from.</p><p>“<em> Hyuka! Where’s the food!” </em> Yeonjun’s distant shouting could be heard from the door, prompting Soobin and Felix to enter further into the apartment.</p><p>Felix followed Soobin through the threshold into their living space. The hallway opened into a decent sized living room that was just as lively as the bright colors on their shoes. Each piece of furniture was some bright color, very eccentric and clashing with the rest of the room.</p><p>Sitting on the couch was a boy on his phone who shot up upon seeing the new arrivals. He jumped over the cushions to land just in front of Felix, his hand waving in front of him as his body towered over Felix.</p><p>How were all these people so damn tall?</p><p>“Hi! I’m Beomgyu.”</p><p>“Go get the others!” Yeonjun shouted at Beomgyu, “We need to start cooking!”</p><p>“Heuning said you were doing it,” Beomgyu responded, and Yeonjun slammed a bag of potatoes on the counter with a squawk in response.</p><p>“You lot expect me to cook all of this on my own?!” The beta gasped in offense, “And in the face of company?!”</p><p>“We have company?” Another boy, nearly as tall as Soobin, said as he stepped out of a bedroom door. As his eyes landed on Felix, he broke out into a grin, “Oh hi! I’m Heuning Kai!”</p><p>“You’re gonna be <em> Dead Kai </em> if you don’t get over here and help me,” Yeonjun threatened with a pointed glare.</p><p>“But I did the shopping!” Heuning Kai complained as he shoved Beomgyu closer to the kitchen counter, “You help him, you’re less likely to get killed when he blows up the apartment.”</p><p>“Why me?!” Beomgyu squealed as he tried to break free of Heuning Kai’s grasp, “I had to clean the apartment!”</p><p>“You didn’t clean the apartment, Taehyun did!” Heuning Kai shoved a bit harder.</p><p>“How about Soobin does it?” Beomgyu pointed at the alpha from over Heuning Kai’s shoulder, “He’s pack alpha, that’s like his job isn’t it?”</p><p>Felix spared a glance at Soobin, who was maintaining a safe distance leaned against the door frame as he supervised the argument. The alpha wasn’t intervening, in fact he seemed to find joy in the interaction the other wolves were having. Soobin always seemed like the quiet type to Felix, one that didn’t like to take charge as often. Felix hadn’t imagined he would be a pack alpha until it was literally spelled out for him.</p><p>He guessed that’s what he got for making assumptions.</p><p>“Unless you want bread for dinner, Soobin is <em> not </em> cooking.”</p><p>A new voice appeared from the hallway behind them. Each of them turned in his direction, including Felix, and he was met with another wolf that surpassed him in height. He was carrying a few liters of soda in his hands which Soobin quickly took from him and placed on the kitchen counter. He waved at Felix upon seeing him, “Hello, my name is Taehyun.”</p><p>Felix waved back, as the other greeted him.</p><p>“Everyone, this is Felix,” Yeonjun introduced him to the group, “That’s Beomgyu, my beta in crime. Heuning Kai, our baby alpha. And Taehyun, our pack omega.”</p><p>Felix forced himself to ignore the collar dangling from Taehyun’s neck. Even though Felix also had one, even though he’s seen them on so many others during his life, seeing another male omega was surreal to him.</p><p>He’d met a few as a kid, but as an adult he hadn’t run into many of them. Each time he did, he just as was surprised as the last. He loved meeting others like him, because it reminded him that he wasn’t alone. And seeing the tag secured on Taehyun’s collar reminded Felix that not all male omega’s were packless. Taehyun had a family to rely on, one that loved him for him regardless of his status.</p><p>It was what Felix wished he could have, and he was glad Taehyun had found it.</p><p>“Taehyun, <em> please </em>help Yeonjunnie cook,” Beomgyu begged from Heuning Kai’s arms, “I don’t wanna die.”</p><hr/><p>Yeonjun hadn’t even ended up cooking.</p><p>It ended up being Taehyun and Beomgyu that grilled up burgers for everyone. Felix tried his best to help considering he actually enjoyed cooking, but each and every one of them had forced him to sit down for various rounds of mario kart because <em> you’re the guest, you don’t need to be cooking anything </em>.</p><p>When dinner was eventually served, they all crowded around the cramped coffee table with cups of soda and a reality show playing on TV that Felix had never seen. </p><p>“Wow, I can’t believe he chose that dude,” Beomgyu shook his head at the television with a disappointed sigh, “He should have chosen that other girl.”</p><p>“Are you kidding?” Yeonjun scoffed, “Those two are made for each other. Did you see the way he kissed him?”</p><p>“A true romantic,” Taehyun agreed with the oldest beta.</p><p>“Nah, she loved him,” Heuning Kai sided with Beomgyu, “She definitely deserved the rose.”</p><p>Felix couldn’t include his input because he was far too lost to add anything worthy of the debate. He hadn’t seen anything about this show prior to today, and the only thing he could really retain was that there was a really cute alpha couple that Felix was rooting for. Other than that, the previous romances the pack seemed invested in were lost to him.</p><p>“Hey,” Soobin elbowed him, “Wanna come with me to the kitchen?”</p><p>No one else noticed the question, all of them still far too deep in their discussion when Soobin had spoken to him. The alpha was looking at him the same way that Felix had caught him before, as if he knew something Felix didn’t, but this time he seemed much more relaxed. Perhaps it was because he was in his own territory, or maybe it was because Felix wasn’t a mess of intrusive thoughts like he usually was.</p><p>But, this was his chance to maybe find out what that look stemmed from, so he agreed.</p><p>The two took their plates to the kitchen which was still in the same room as the living room, but because of the distance their speech wasn’t as easy to pick up one. Not to mention the rest of them were still very much paying attention to the television.</p><p>“I’ll take your plate,” Soobin plucked the glass from Felix’s hands and placed them in the sink.</p><p>Felix would have insisted on cleaning them himself if he felt confident enough, but this wasn’t his home. He didn’t want to intrude, and if Soobin wanted to clean the dishes Felix wasn’t going to impose.</p><p>“So, how have you been?” Soobin asked as he turned on the faucet.</p><p>Felix reached for his notebook which he left on the counter upon his arrival, flipped to a new page, and began writing.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’ve been good.</em> </b>
</p><p>Soobin read the words with a worried crease in his forehead, one that told Felix he didn’t believe him. The omega didn’t blame him, as Felix wasn’t explicitly telling the truth. He may be good in this moment, but there was still the ongoing fight between his rational human mind and his omega. He kept having strange chance encounters with Bang Chan’s pack, Jinho was working in his building, and he almost spoke for the first time after years of silence.</p><p>“You’ve had quite the welcome into Bang Entertainment,” Soobin continued, “Is anything overwhelming you? Is there anything Yeonjun or I could do to help you settle in better?”</p><p>
  <b> <em>You’ve both been great. There’s nothing I can think of.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Well let us know,” Soobin smiled at the omega as he scrubbed away on the glass plates, “Yeonjun and I are gonna be here for a while so we’ll try our best to make sure things aren’t too hard for you.”</p><p> Felix tilted his head, he was almost certain Soobin and Yeonjun were only supposed to temporarily transfer to nights in order to train Felix until he was comfortable enough to work alone.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I thought you two were going back to day shift?</em> </b>
</p><p>“We were,” The alpha explained, “But honestly, it’s kind of pointless. We can get more work done by night time, and we actually like the night shift better. It works with our pack better, and we like working with you so we asked to permanently transfer to nights.”</p><p>A smile found it’s way on Felix’s face, and he found it reflected on Soobin’s face.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’m glad, I like working with you guys.</em> </b>
</p><p>“So do we,” Soobin turned off the faucet and placed the plates in the drying rack, “And we don’t wanna leave you to suffer alone during the evening.”</p><p>The alpha turned around, the worried look back on his face that had Felix wishing the other would just tell him what he was thinking so the omega didn’t have to keep guessing.</p><p>“You know we care about you,” Soobin reiterated the same words he said earlier today, and Felix nodded, “We don’t wanna see you hurting.”</p><p>Then the concern was gone and replaced with hope and desperation that Felix never associated with alpha’s, “We’re friends, so please promise me you’ll come to us if you’re in trouble.”</p><p>Felix stared, mouth ajar as he saw the raw emotion Soobin usually kept hidden. He meant every word he said, and he was begging Felix to agree with him. Soobin was quiet, calm, and tame for an alpha, but this wasn’t the face of a pack alpha. This was a friend that just wanted to see the best for their other friend.</p><p><b> <em>I will,</em> </b> Felix wrote out with sincerity, matching Soobin’s relieved smile with his own, <b> <em>I promise.</em> </b></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>WOW THIS WAS HARD TO WRITE!. I hit a MASSIVE writers block this chapter, and I usually rely on dialogue to help me transition or get my footing back in place when I hit writers block but OBVIOUSLY that's not that easy with this story lol. Nevertheless, it's finally done and ready to be read! I hope you enjoyed!!!</p><p>Also, thank you thank you THANK YOU to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinystreetlamp">tinystreetlamp</a> for being my beta yet again! Thank you for reading and editing this so late in your day!</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So I made a <a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpIeOqzP8IJna3RU7kWbn7rO4KigdtRYc">Youtube playlist</a> of songs I listen to frequently when I'm writing this story if anyone would like to listen as you read!!! Some new songs may get added or removed over time as my music queue changes but :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just as easily as the whirlwind of chaos entered Felix’s life, it dissipated into a gentle breeze that occasionally nipped at his cheek. Another week had come and gone without issue, and the omega was finding that he really enjoyed the work culture at Bang Entertainment. That is, when he wasn’t jumping the hurdles life put in his path.</p><p>He continued to work hard in his position, striving each day to do better than the last, and in the end it resulted in his long anticipated pay check. It went straight to his overdue rent payment and the sweet luxury of heat during the cold winter months. He still didn’t have a large cushion of extra money to validate any extravagant grocery shopping, so he would have to manage with the bare necessities yet again. But that wouldn’t be hard for Felix after having lived on it for so long anyways.</p><p>Jisung and Hyunjin had become regular parts of his day.</p><p>The younger alpha was a frequent visitor during Felix’s lunch breaks, showing up just on time to seat himself next to Felix in the company cafeteria. He talked enough for the two of them, and when Soobin and Yeonjun joined, all three of them engaged in various debates and conversations that Felix happily listened in on.</p><p>Even if he couldn’t contribute much aside from small shakes of his head or the occasional sentence he would take the time to write out, Felix enjoyed himself.</p><p>He had gotten used to Jisung and his eccentric personality, and so had Yeonjun and Soobin. The beta was more than excited to get to know the producer, as he was with most new people. However Soobin kept his distance the first time Jisung joined them during their break. Felix didn’t point attention to Soobin’s strange behavior, choosing to let the alpha work through whatever he was thinking without interference. Felix had grown accustomed to the odd expressions Soobin threw at him, and seeing a similar one pointed at Jisung made Felix feel a little better if he was honest.</p><p>At least he wasn’t the only one Soobin was staring at.</p><p>Jisung hadn’t let Soobin deter his ambitious attempt to befriend both of the other janitors, and by the end of the first day, all three of them had gotten on a first name basis. Soobin dropped his inquisitive expression, Jisung’s laughter remained a constant, and Felix felt relief that nothing had gone wrong.</p><p>During this week, Felix had learned enough about Jisung’s character to conclude he was just a big dork, and Felix loved it. Jisung was a hyperactive alpha, one that loved eating cheesecake as he watched his favorite animes on his couch. His words came out lightning fast with clean syllables excitedly filling the air around them, and at times he sounded like he was rapping his sentences rather than saying them.</p><p>When Felix found out he was a self produced rapper on top of producing for idol groups under the company label, the omega wasn’t surprised in the slightest.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Could I hear some of your work some day?</em> </b>
</p><p>Felix had written down at their first lunch meeting.</p><p>“You wanna hear one of my songs?” Jisung had nearly choked on his sandwich, “I mean you’ve probably heard them before on like, the radio and stuff.”</p><p>
  <b> <em>No, one of you rapping.</em> </b>
</p><p>And then Felix was graced with the sounds of Han Jisung breathlessly rapping over a harsh beat. He said he recorded it a year ago, but it sounded like the boy recorded it just yesterday. The lyrics were powerful, emotionally charged as it hit each note with intensity. Felix had closed his eyes as the beat rumbled through the headphones into his ears, reveling in this music while he could before it was locked away in Jisung’s cell phone again.</p><p>He hoped he would never forget the sounds that Han Jisung’s voice made that day.</p><p>Hyunjin had returned to the Bang Entertainment building just two days after Felix had found him collapsed in the practice room. When the omega had caught sight of the other alpha, his first instinct was irritation that the other was <em> alone </em> and back at work after being explicitly warned by Felix that he shouldn’t be walking for at least three weeks.</p><p>But then Felix’s sights landed on the pair of crutches the alpha was dragging along with him, and he calmed down significantly.</p><p>“Hey Felix!” Hyunjin waved from down the hallway and began hopping over to the omega who was on his way to meet Jisung, Soobin, and Yeonjun for lunch again, “Are you going on your lunch break? Can I join you?”</p><p>Of course Felix said yes, and it wasn’t just because of his concern for Hyunjin’s sprained ankle.</p><p>Hyunjin and Jisungs' dynamic was interesting. He should have expected <em> something </em>considering the two were from the same pack, but having never seen the two interact before, Felix was surprised by how close the alphas were while pretending as if they despised each other’s existence. Jisung teased Hyunjin for his sprain, complaining about how he had to carry him all over their apartment at Chan’s request, all while he kept breaking off pieces of his cheese stick and feeding them to the other.</p><p>It was very obvious they loved each other dearly, regardless of what they tried to portray. He could see it in the way they subconsciously leaned into each other, how their gaze never faltered when their eyes met, how neither were bothered when Hyunjin’s lips occasionally closed around the tip of Jisungs finger. It was nothing but playful banter between them, and an overflowing basket of affection that they pretended didn’t exist.</p><p>Felix smiled fondly at the two as he learned of Hyunjin’s current choreography he was creating. The alpha was a professional dancer and dance instructor, and he was very passionate about his work. He talked about his history with dance theory, his years of trial and error to perfect his style, and his many mentors he still cherished to this day. Felix was enamored with both the softly spoken words and the plush lips that pushed them into the air as the light shined perfectly against his smile. The omega was drawn to these two alphas, almost enough to nearly forget his coworkers were sitting at the same table watching him curiously.</p><p>Hyunjin became another frequent visitor during lunch breaks. </p><p>The two alphas had wormed their way into Felix’s everyday life rather quickly, and the omega didn’t mind it as much as he thought he would. Eventually, Jisung and Hyunjin went from sitting next to each other across from Felix, to racing to the cafeteria to see who could grab a seat next to the omega first. Soobin had made sure to always make either him or Yeonjun take one spot next to Felix just so the two had to duke it out for the last seat, and Yeonjun always cackled when one of them inevitably lost the seat.</p><p>Lunch breaks became something Felix looked forward to. And now as Felix woke up late in the cold of his barren bedroom, he was missing the warmth that the alphas provided. Their presence alone eased Felix’s mind from the constant push and pull he had been experiencing since taking this job, but then he was separated and left to ponder the strange feelings he had adapted for the two in solitude.</p><p>When he was alone, Felix was able to think logically. Such as how weird it was that he felt so calm and welcome when he was in the presence of these wolves, and then turned anxious and vulnerable when they parted ways. Chan, Jisung, and Hyunjin had all broken down his walls far too fast, but when he was surrounded by their scents his omega was preening with desire. He <em> wanted </em> their attention, he <em> wanted </em> to be close enough to graze their skin with his fingers, and he <em> wanted </em>to walk beside them as they went back to their respective work tasks.</p><p>And as soon as they were back in their own spaces, Felix’s mind came crashing down from the clouds back into the dirt and mud that was his insecurities. He lost his bearings when Chan’s pack was around, his self control was nonexistent, and his omega was taking the reins without his knowing.</p><p>But did he mind it?</p><p>It was obvious his omega was infatuated, maybe a bit obsessed with these alphas, and looked at everything with rose tinted glasses when he was in their near vicinity. He felt the lurch of longing each time he thought of them, the aching pain when he remembered the way Chan had held him so delicately, the excited hum of pleasure when Jisung’s cinnamon scent pulled him into subspace. His wolf was trying to claw its way back to them each chance it got, and he couldn’t exactly deny his omega as easily as he thought he could.</p><p>Objectively, Felix did <em> like </em>Jisung, Hyunjin, and even Chan. They were incredibly kind people, ones that behaved unlike any alpha Felix had met before. They were considerate, sweet, and eager to befriend Felix regardless of the differences in their status, in both biological and societal standards. An alpha and omega being friends wasn’t uncommon at all, but a business owner’s pack befriending a lowly janitor sure was. But among all of these instances, all of the things Felix’s logical side of his brain knew, could he say he liked them as much as his omega did?</p><p>He wasn’t sure.</p><p>He barely <em> knew </em>them. He knew them on surface level. One that showed him their favorite color and television show, not their long term goals and morals. He didn’t know their childhood dreams and their current goals. He wasn’t aware of their troubles and worries, or their happiest memories and first loves. He knew virtually nothing but what they made his omega feel.</p><p>So he couldn’t know for sure how he felt, because he didn’t know anything about them.</p><p>
  <em> But you’re starting to know them. </em>
</p><p>Felix internally groaned as he pushed himself out of bed, tripping on his bland bed sheets and oversized sweatpants, and made his way to his bathroom. He stumbled onto the tile and felt around for the light switch until the off-white walls were bathed in the fluorescent yellow.</p><p>
  <em> Jisung told you about his condition, about his parents. </em>
</p><p>He met his own eyes in his toothpaste splattered mirror, dark pupils staring back at him with annoyed frustration. He could never get these thoughts out of his head, could never get them to shut up. It was constantly protruding into his everyday life making it hard to concentrate on anything.</p><p>
  <em> You like them more than you think you do. You’re just scared. </em>
</p><p>Felix ripped himself from the door frame, stomping up to his shower curtain and roughly pulling it to the side.</p><p>
  <em> You’re afraid of commitment. </em>
</p><p>He turned on the water, ice cold.</p><p>
  <em> You’re afraid they’re going to be like him. </em>
</p><p>He tore off his clothes, throwing them to the other side of the room in a haste.</p><p>
  <em> You’re afraid they’re going to be like Jinho. </em>
</p><p>He stepped into the freezing water without preparation, shocking his body and mind back to the present. His muscles screamed at him as the ice cold water pelted his skin, wracking his body with shivers as he tucked into himself. </p><p>
  <em> I don’t care about Jinho. </em>
</p><p>He bitterly thought to himself as droplets of warm tears mixed with the cold water streaming over his cheeks. </p><p>But he really did care about Jinho, and he couldn’t keep lying to himself.</p><p>Jinho was his first alpha. And even though he was a shitty excuse for an alpha, one that Felix hated with all his being, he still cared about him. He cared about what the alpha thought of him, he cared about whether Felix was proving to be everything he told Jinho he would be without him. He cared about whether the alpha was too close to him, whether he was breathing the same air as him, whether his pungent sea salt was invading his space- he cared far more than he wanted to admit. He hadn’t moved on after two years, if anything he feels like he’s taken a step back.</p><p>And he <em> was </em> scared. He was scared of the unknown, of why he had been wrapping up in Chan’s pack so suddenly. He was scared of his omega’s goals and the separate mind his wolf seemed to operate on. He was scared of his heart constricting when he thought of Chan’s pack, and he was scared of his instincts that screamed at him to get closer, to move faster, to find himself slotted between their arms. He was scared of what these foreign feelings meant, because he never felt them with Jinho. His omega was ready to move on, but Felix didn’t think he was.</p><p>Was he ready to invite more expectant alphas into his life? More alphas that his omega would strain to please? More alphas to dictate his life and show him how much of a pitiful omega he was?</p><p>
  <em> Chan’s pack isn’t like that, you know this. </em>
</p><p>No, Chan’s pack was already miles better than Jinho could ever hope to be. But would they always be as perfect as Felix saw them now? </p><p>He felt helpless and pathetic, exactly how Jinho wanted him to feel. And the alpha had succeeded, because here Felix was reduced to tears in his bathtub all because he couldn’t get himself under control. Because he kept thinking of a pack that wasn’t his. He was everything Jinho said he was, a stupid omega addicted to any alpha that looked his way. He was obsessing over some dudes just because they were nice to him.</p><p>Was he that desperate? That he couldn’t hold back his omega from trying to ravage any alpha he can get ahold of?</p><p>He scrubbed at his face harshly, blinking away the warmth of his tears and tilting his head back. He was quick with washing his hair, using a sparingly amount of soap as he lathered the shampoo into his scalp. The soap dripped down his forehead, leaking from his eyebrow into his eye. He hissed silently, digging his fingers into his eyes as he rubbed away the protruding substance. As he pulled his hand back, an uncomfortable sting was left behind.</p><p>With soap still in his hair, and the freezing water running along his back, Felix stared forward at the white tiled wall.</p><p>He wished he didn’t feel so conflicted.</p><p>He wished he knew what he wanted.</p><p>He wished his life hadn’t turned into the mess that it was, that he didn’t have to go figure everything out alone.</p><p>He hated being alone sometimes.</p><p>
  <em> You don’t have to be alone. </em>
</p><p>No, he didn’t. But it was safer to be alone than to risk falling for another trap. Living in solitude was better than living in fear. It was better than losing your self worth and confidence all because an alpha dictated your life. He could make his own choices now, he could live his life now.</p><p>But why did he still feel just as restricted now as he was when he was with Jinho?</p><p>Had he ever actually healed from the torturous two year the alpha had subjected him to?</p><p>It was like Jinho still had a hold on him, still had his claw embedded in Felix’s skin dragging him back from moving on.</p><p>
  <em> Chan’s pack, they’re not like Jinho. </em>
</p><p>Felix took a deep breath, stepping back into the water and washing out the remaining soap before turning it off entirely. The bathroom was vacant of any steam, and as the omega stepped out of the tub into the previously cold apartment he found it felt warmer now.</p><p>
  <em> Chan’s pack likes you, and you like them too. </em>
</p><p>He dried himself off, wrapping himself up in his fluffiest towel.</p><p>
  <em> You don’t have to be alone anymore. </em>
</p><p>He stopped in front of his closet, pulling out a basic black shirt and sweatpants.</p><p>
  <em> You’ve lived enough of your life in fear, don’t let it hold you back from finding happiness again. </em>
</p><p>He dressed himself with firm hands and a sigh and combed his hair with his fingers before searching for his brush.</p><p>
  <em> Don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers. </em>
</p><p>He didn’t have time for this.</p><hr/><p>The grocery store wasn’t as busy as Felix expected it to be.</p><p>Usually families would be crowded in aisles, packing the entire building with max capacity to the point that even Felix had a hard time worming between people with his hand basket. But the store was actually quite calm, likely because of the cold weather. For 12 PM on a Saturday, this was a rather lucky turn of events.</p><p>And if Felix was honest, after the morning he had he was glad he wasn’t going to be accidentally shoved by teenagers and children or stuck in an aisle between four shopping carts. Not to mention the overwhelming scents of prepubescent wolves that hadn’t quite learned how to control their scent in public.</p><p>That’s the last thing Felix needed, a smelly wolf smothering him with their alpha stench from three aisles away.</p><p>He wasn’t going to be here long. He just needed the essentials: some steamed white rice bowls and packaged noodles would do. The rest of his money would be saved for emergencies. Maybe he would feel comfortable enough to splurge by next paycheck, but for now he still needed to play it safe.</p><p>As he entered, the greeter waved at him just as she always did. Felix had been frequenting this store for close to four years and he’d come to know most of the employee’s after so many visits. Dozens have come and gone, but that never deterred Felix from welcoming them with a warm smile.</p><p>In the beginning, most of them had assumed he was deaf, which he never blamed them for. Now he had a reputation among the grocery store, and everyone was aware of his situation and how to handle him. It was nice to have a place to accommodate him, especially a place as necessary as a grocery store.</p><p>“Good morning, Felix,” Yebin, one of the employees that happened to be stocking shelves, called out for Felix as the omega began turning into the rice section.</p><p>Yebin was a nice beta, one that Felix has known longest at this location. She was a few years older than him and has been one of the omega’s biggest helps when it came to living alone. She had helped Felix plan his grocery shopping when he and Jinho broke up and he began fending for himself alone in the produce section. When the omega eventually stopped speaking, Yebin had adapted to assist Felix in everything he needed. She had even tried to pull some strings to get Felix a job at the grocery store regardless of his lack of a voice, but management was just too strong of a deterrent for the beta to get through.</p><p>Nevertheless, her efforts were seen, and Felix considered Yebin a great friend.</p><p>“Here for your monthly rations?” She hopped off of the step ladder she was using to reach the higher shelves, skipping over to the omega with her hair swinging behind her, “I think we got a new shipment of that coffee you like. It might be on sale by the end of the month if we don’t sell enough of it.”</p><p>Felix brightened up at her comment, but quickly deflated as he was crudely reminded of his budget. He was sadly going to be missing out on his favorite instant coffee brand. He didn’t have the money to spare for it now and he already knew he wouldn’t be granted the chance to buy it later on because it was far too popular to avoid being sold out. It was cheap, but delicious, and everyone knew it.</p><p>That sucks, because it’s been far too long since Felix had tasted his favorite coffee.</p><p>“Hey, if you don’t get it today, I can always try to get someone to order it again next month. Shipments have been crazy lately so I’ll have to get on it asap,” Yebin offered as Felix’s downturned expression became apparent to the beta.</p><p>He signed a quick <em> thank you </em> in return, which luckily Yebin understood. The omega had taught her various signs over the course of the past few years, and while she wasn’t anywhere close to fluent, it made communication just a bit easier. He hadn’t had to pull out his notebook to talk to her in a few months which was pretty impressive.</p><p>“Alright, well I better get back to this,” Yebin pointed over her shoulder at the stack of boxes waiting to be put away, “Have a good day Felix!”</p><p>Felix waved goodbye as they both turned in the opposite direction, Yebin back to her step ladder and Felix back to the main floor. He had memorized the floor plan long ago, and given that his shopping list was rather bare, he made a beeline to where he knew the instant noodles would be. There was hardly anyone in the aisle, something Felix swore he could have kissed someone for because the instant noodle section was <em> constantly </em>filled to the brim. </p><p>He grabbed the cheapest bulk package and tossed it into his hand basket. It was just a roast chicken flavor, relatively bland and boring compared to the array of flavors that stocked the shelves. But this was what he could afford, it was what he stuck to because the package sizes were bigger than some of these other brands, and that meant his meal could fill him up more than anything else.</p><p>Next was the rice, which was just on the next aisle. Again, he grabbed the bulk package, but just as he was about to grasp the cardboard wrapping, his gaze landed on the orange price tag covering the original number.</p><p>The rice was on sale.</p><p>He broke out into a goofy grin, because <em> this </em> was a good surprise. He tossed it into his basket with the noodles, straightened himself out and scanned the empty aisle he was on. It was just a sale, and it was on <em> instant rice </em> of all things, but Felix was ecstatic. He only came to this store for two things, and for one of those two things to be cheaper than the already cheap price was world break news in Felix’s book.</p><p>Lately, he had been dreading his trips to the grocery store. Without a job to support himself, he was struggling to justify eating more than one meal a day, and more often than not, he would skip meals entirely because he couldn't bring himself to open his last package of noodles yet. He had been surviving off of the meager savings he had accumulated while living with Jinho and the few small jobs he picked up since then.</p><p>So a sale was a treat for the omega, and for a moment he could close his eyes and almost forget about the debt hanging over his head. He could pretend his money saved on rice could go towards the coffee he wanted and he could head home and treat himself. He could pretend he was normal, just for a second.</p><p>But then he opened his eyes, he walked over to the coffee section, and he stopped in front of the instant coffee that was too expensive to buy, and his illusion was shattered.</p><p>He was still broke, still a lowly omega living alone in the city. He was a defective wolf that could be deemed a nuisance to society, and he was living a pitiful life in his cold apartment that nearly froze him to death each night. His day dream was unrealistic, and his coffee was too far out of reach.</p><p>Maybe he was being a little dramatic, it was only coffee after all, but his previous excitement for the discounted rice had withered away with his crushed vision of a beautiful life.</p><p>“Hey, uh, Felix?”</p><p>The omega blinked himself out of his head, turning to the side to see a familiar face staring at him. A soft smile, recognition glinting in the others eyes, and a tiny wave instantly pulled Felix out of the slump he had found himself in all morning. His insecurities, his doubts, and his frustrations sunk to the depths of his mind as he turned to full face Changbin, the beta Felix had met a month ago.</p><p>This was another wolf from Chan’s pack, another one of those wolves that had Felix’s omega wrapped around his finger without even trying.</p><p>“I didn’t know you shopped here,” Changbin pushed his cart closer to the omega, stopping just a foot away, “Are you stocking up on groceries?”</p><p>Felix nodded, happy that the question was simple enough to not have to drag out his notebook to communicate.</p><p>“Ah, same here,” Changbin continued, “I feel like I’m at the store twice a week, we’re always running out of food.”</p><p>Taking a look at Changbin’s cart, he was surprised at how… <em> full </em>it was.</p><p>Nearly half of it was just sealed packages of meat, which Felix raised his eyebrows at. He hadn’t eaten much other than noodles and rice for somewhere close to two years, aside from the occasional convenience store sandwich or microwave meal he had. He couldn’t imagine having the stomach to devour so much food, and to do it two times a week? How much meat could one pack eat? </p><p>How many people were even <em> in </em>Chan’s pack?</p><p>At the very least, there was quite a bit of leafy green vegetables to go along with it, and he spotted some packages of snack food and some soda bottles littered between the healthier foods. It was well balanced, and definitely far healthier than Felix’s grocery haul.</p><p>It made him feel a little ashamed of the diet he had adapted, because he couldn’t afford extravagant groceries and dinner lists. He couldn’t have treats or even instant coffee, because everything cost more money than he had right now.</p><p>“Hey, are you free after this?”</p><p>Felix brought his attention back to the beta, who was still looking at him with that soft smile.</p><p>“Because I’m about done with shopping and I was thinking about getting some lunch around here. Would you wanna join me? It’ll be my treat.”</p><p>Lunch?</p><p>With <em> Changbin </em>?</p><p>Felix's mouth opened and closed silently, as if he would have spoken had he been able to and couldn’t come up with the words. He stared agape at the beta who only watched him patiently for an answer, but Felix wasn’t sure what to say. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go out with Changbin, but it was that he was shocked that the beta had even asked. Changbin was a part of Chan’s pack, a very high profile pack, as Felix had come to realize. Changbin being seen with a random omega in public wouldn’t be good for their image, and a poor omega that could barely take care of himself at that.</p><p>But Felix <em> wanted </em>to, and apparently Changbin wanted to as well.</p><p>“Sorry if that was to forward,” Changbin suddenly apologized, his brows creased in concern at Felix’s prolonged silence, “I know you’ve been getting closer to Jinnie and Sungie and I guess I just wanted to get to know you too?”</p><p>
  <em> Jinnie and Sungie? </em>
</p><p>He’s talking about Hyunjin and Jisung?</p><p>“But um, yeah,” The beta continued with a light blush dusting his cheeks, “If you don’t want to you can say no. It’s okay, and I won’t mind at all.”</p><p>He couldn’t keep letting the conversation go down this trail, so Felix pulled out his notebook he had stored in his basket and wrote out his response. </p><p>
  <b> <em>Sorry, I was just surprised. I’d love to join you, but don’t you have to take your groceries home?</em> </b>
</p><p>“Oh!” Changbin beamed as he read Felix’s answer, turning his blinding smile to Felix again. The omega couldn’t help but melt at his excitement, how had he ever been so conflicted over such amazing people? These wolves were so kind, so genuine, and Felix could sense it in Changbin’s rain water scent, he could see it in his insistence to not step over Felix’s boundaries, he could feel it in his facial expressions. There was nothing to worry about.</p><p>“We actually have a cooler in the car!” Changbin explained, “I can just put the cold stuff in there and it’ll stay good until I bring it home.”</p><p>
  <em> A cooler in the car? Fancy. </em>
</p><p>“Anyways, I just need to check out and then I’ll be good to go. Do you need anything else?”</p><p>Felix spared a glance at the coffee, still mocking him from their place on the shelves, and back down to the simple rice and noodles. Spending lunch with Changbin already rid him of his sadness over his loss of his favorite coffee. His previous thoughts were lost to him, and all he felt now was the humming delight at having Changbin near him, of having the beta’s eyes on him.</p><p>He knew this was his omega glowing at the attention, demanding control of his hormones as he immersed himself in the overflow of comfort he found in Changbin’s calming scent. His rational human brain was pushed to the side as his omega took charge, and he was helpless as he was blind to his usual worries. None of his earlier realizations made it out of his subconscious, and none of his insecurities had a foothold on his emotions.</p><p>Nothing mattered right now except for the smile on Changbin’s face.</p><hr/><p>Felix was still a little nervous to go out with Changbin, mainly because his nerves were bubbling under his skin. He hadn’t gone out in so long, and the reminder that Felix wouldn’t be paying for this meal began to weigh down on him as they left the grocery store. He was grateful, <em> of course </em> he was, but he was also embarrassed that even if he wanted to he couldn’t offer to pay for himself. Even his omega, who hadn’t been anything but enthusiastic during the entire ordeal, was a little weary of their midday outing.</p><p>That is until Changbin brought him to a familiar little burger shop, one Felix actually enjoyed and had visited many times before he hit his current situation.</p><p>All of his worries vanished as the building entered his view, and his omega instantly calmed. This was a place Felix had history with, a place Felix felt he had a little bit of control in. He wouldn’t be staring at confusing menus, trying to find the cheapest thing among the crowded options. He was going to look at a board he’d seen so many times before, this was his element.</p><p>“Do you like burgers?” Changbin asked as they walked towards the front door.</p><p>Felix nodded,<em> of course </em>he liked burgers. And he hadn’t had one in forever.</p><p>“Awesome!” Changbin cheered, his hand gripping the handle and pulling open the door. He signaled for Felix to enter ahead of him, which the omega gladly stepped forward into the building.</p><p>He just got a simple burger, but then Changbin insisted on getting them both fries and a drink on the side. Even when Felix tried to tell him it was okay, that he didn’t need the extras, Changbin had reassured him that he <em> had </em>to have fries with a burger or else it was crime on food. Felix couldn’t bring himself to argue over some french fries and a soda, partially because he didn’t wanna hold up the line and partially because Changbin was too cute to argue with.</p><p>They took one of the corner booths, each settling in on one side with the food spread out on the table. Changbin took the initiative to set up their meals, going as far as unwrapping Felix’s burger wrapper for him and dumping his fries on the foil.</p><p>“Do you want any ketchup?” He asked as he tossed the empty box in their unused bag, “I can go get some if you want. Or ranch, I know people like to eat their fries with ranch sometimes. Or uh, barbeque sauce? Are you a barbeque sauce guy?”</p><p>Felix grinned at the other’s rambling before shaking his head, though he appreciated the thought behind it. The beta sat back against the cushioned seat with a light sigh. He gave a pointed look at Felix’s burger, then gestured towards the food, “Try it, tell me what you think.”</p><p>He thought about telling Changbin that he had already had these burgers before, and he was already a <em> big </em> fan of their food, but he decided to keep that to himself. He could humor the beta for now, so he picked up the burger and took a small bite.</p><p>It tasted just as good as he remembered.</p><p>Felix shot up a thumbs up, matching Changbin’s thrilled expression with a closed mouth smile. The beta quickly dug in to his own meal, joining Felix in his silence as they each devoured their food. It’s been so long since Felix had something like this, and he was enjoying every second of it, but it wasn’t just because of the food.</p><p>Changbin’s presence on its own was wonderful, and the omega loved sharing his space with him. Just like Jisung, Hyunjin, and even Chan, Changbin had grabbed onto his heart instantly. His sweet voice, his delicate rain water scent, and his cute giggle were all digging into his mind and implanting them in his memories. Changbin was different from Hyunjin and Jisung. Hyunjin and Jisung were hilarious in their own right, and Felix fit in with them so well. They both brought out his playful side, the side that wanted to joke around with them and maybe take part in their banter.</p><p>But Changbin made him want to relax, to release his worries and let the beta take the reins with him. He brought Felix to a state of mind that was soft and moldable, and he was so flexible in his emotions. He didn’t feel the need to submit, and he didn’t feel the need to please him as much as he did with the alphas, but he made Felix feel special in another way.</p><p>“So how was your week?” Changbin asked as he popped a french fry in his mouth. Both had finished eating their burgers, leaving only the rest of their fries, so Felix took his notebook from the grocery bags he stored it in and placed it on the table.</p><p>
  <b> <em>It’s been great. How was yours?</em> </b>
</p><p>It may have been a slight lie, but his week at <em> work </em> hasn’t been that bad. It’s just out of work when his mind wanders that it’s not so great.</p><p>And he hadn’t ran into Jinho again, which was a plus.</p><p>“Pretty good, I got a track done. Finally,” Changbin groaned, but it was mixed with a sigh of relief, “I’ve been skipping my breaks just to get it done.”</p><p>
  <b> <em>Are you a producer as well?</em> </b>
</p><p>“Yeah, Sungie and I tend to work together,” Changbin chuckled to himself, “He’s kind of wacky and a pain to work with, but I love him so I deal with it. And when Chan joins us, we’re unstoppable.”</p><p>Felix wasn’t as surprised to hear Chan also was familiar with producing, it seemed like a lot of his pack had a musical talent. And Chan being the <em> literal CEO </em> of the whole damn company meant he had to know how to do <em> something </em>.</p><p>But it still piqued his interest, because after hearing Jisung’s personal track he was now beyond curious to hear what Changbin and Chan could do.</p><p>
  <b> <em>I heard one of Jisung’s tracks. He rapped.</em> </b>
</p><p>“Yeah, he’s a good rapper,” Changbin nodded along to Felix’s words, “Me, him, and Chan used to be a rap group back in high school. Sungie can sing too, you should ask him to show you one day.”</p><p>Jisung singing was <em> definitely </em> going to be something he would actively seek out. Was he a rough singer? One that kept his tone deep and mellow? Or was he powerful and strong with belting high notes? Did he favor pop music? Rock?</p><p>How talented were these people?</p><p>
  <b> <em>You and Chan rap too?</em> </b>
</p><p>“We do,” he grinned, and Felix instantly began to wonder how Changbin and Chan’s voices would sound next to Jisungs. How their tones would mix and meld, forming the song into one of pure mastery. Because somehow, Felix knew their work was nothing short of perfect.</p><p>“Do you wanna hear?”</p><p>
  <b> <em>I’d love to.</em> </b>
</p><p>It was the second time he was granted permission to deposit a set of headphones into his ears.</p><p>He sat still in the booth as Changbin searched his phone for the song. He waited in silence until the headphones crackled to life with a simple, calm beat. Felix felt his head bob along to the light tempo absentmindedly. He liked songs like this, that didn’t have too much going on yet still seemed to utilize its assets so well. There didn’t need to be too many instruments, too much background sounds, because the simple beat demanded enough attention as it was.</p><p>It was powerful in a completely passive way, almost challenging the listener to try to suppress them.</p><p>And then a voice entered the mix.</p><p>He could instantly recognize Chan, rapping melodically to the music with so much control. Yet it still sounded lazy, like he found the mere task of rapping to be below him. The alpha found the entire act a nuisance, but he also found pride in his ability to harmonize effortlessly with his careless tone.</p><p>It was obviously a character, because Felix could never imagine Chan acting like this in the real world, but the omega still found it incredibly attractive.</p><p>Then Jisung came, sounds just the same as Chan with a gruffer voice. His words slurred together intelligently, still managing to clearly speak his mind without sacrificing the quality of his vocals. He grew louder, faster, ending his verse with a sudden cutoff before leading into Chan once more. </p><p>Felix bounced with the music as it grew a bit more intense, repeating the careless words of Chan from the very beginning. Changbin watched him from across the table with a pleased expression as he toyed with his straw in his mouth, while Felix fell more and more in love with the music.</p><p>And then Changbin’s voice arrived, and Felix physically pulled himself back. The headphones nearly fell out of his ears, but Changbin caught his movement just in time to slide his phone closer to Felix. The omega looked up, his eyes meeting Changbin’s knowing smirk as Felix’s face lit up against his will.</p><p>Changbin sounded… nothing like Changbin.</p><p>Normally, the beta’s voice was smooth, sweet, and everything else he would use to describe a beta. Felix was expecting a muted version of Chan to come from Changbin, something melodic and soft, not the rough spitting voice he was hearing now. Changbin sounded more alpha than the actual alphas’, and Felix wasn’t even going to sugar coat it:</p><p>It was <em> hot </em>.</p><p>And Changbin seemed to <em> know </em> what Felix thought with the way the beta was staring at him. Felix wasn’t exactly subtle with his surprise, after all he had been visibly affected by the discovery. But Changbin wasn’t mocking him. In fact he seemed flattered, maybe even a little accomplished.</p><p>In an attempt to save face, and hide his embarrassment as much as possible, Felix averted his eyes out the window to ride out the rest of the song. He thoroughly enjoyed it, everything about it.</p><p><em> Maybe even a little too much, </em> he thought to himself for a fleeting moment before it was buried deep within his mind once more.</p><p>He wouldn’t mind listening to it on his own.</p><p>As the song was closing to an end, Felix was staring outside at the passing people. He wasn’t paying much mind to who was walking past the burger joint, which might be why it took him so long to notice the furious face locking their eyes on him from across the street. Just as the last notes played, Felix’s gaze met that of an irritated Jinho. His breath hitched, eyes widening in fear as Jinho finally grabbed his attention. The alpha raised his chin, jutting out his neck as he stared down the omega to assert his dominance, the power he held over the other.</p><p>Felix remained stoically still, unable to move his arms and pull the headphones from his ears. He couldn’t remove his gaze, couldn’t blink away his glossy tears that began forming on his eyelids, because that look <em> never </em> meant good news. Felix was all too privy to the inner workings of Jinho’s mind, of the way his instincts worked, of how his jealousy ran rampant without a care for who it was pointed at. And each time he looked like <em> that </em>, Felix had a hard time getting out of bed the next day.</p><p>He couldn’t smell Jinho, it was impossible while Felix was still inside and Jinho was stuck across the street, but his nose was filled with the memory of sea salt.</p><p>
  <em> How long has he been standing there? </em>
</p><p>“Felix?” A muffled voice called, gently yanking on the headphones still sitting in his ears, “Are you okay?”</p><p>Felix flinched in response, causing Changbin to startled back into his seat with apologies already spilling from his lips. The beta dropped the headphones on the empty wrappers still littered over the table. He had his hands up in the air, showing Felix that he had no intention to hurt him, but his instincts couldn’t relax. He shot another gaze out the window, finding Jinho glaring back at him with even more fervor than before, then broke their eye contact with a thick lump in his throat.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Changbin leaned over the table with his palms flat against the table, but he made himself seem as unthreatening as possible, “Did I do something?”</p><p>Felix instantly shook his head, that last thing he wanted was for Changbin to take blame for Felix’s sudden panic. Judging by his flat lips and pinch brows, Changbin didn’t believe him, and he wasn’t sure what he could say to convince him otherwise.</p><p>“I’m sorry if I’m overstepping,” The beta began quietly with a quick glance at the surrounding patrons who were peaking their own curious eyes at the scene in the corner of the restaurant, “But you smell extremely distressed right now. Do you want to step outside for a minute? Get some fresh air away from all the pheromones in here?”</p><p><em> No </em> , he wanted to say. That’s the <em> last </em> thing he wanted to do. Outside, Jinho was waiting for him. Outside, Jinho was <em> angry </em>. He was angry at Felix, probably has been angry at him for the past two years they’ve been separated. He’d always been possessive, keeping Felix on a tight leash for the entirety of their relationship until the omega had finally snapped, and seeing his past lover alone in a burger shop couldn’t be doing great things for his self esteem.</p><p>But Felix was also angry. He was furious with Jinho, with the pain and heartbreak he was put through. Jinho could be jealous over a bond neither of them had with each other, he could despise Felix with his entire being, but it would never measure up to how much hatred Felix had for him.</p><p>He had strength to stand up to him once, after enough shots of vodka and a hefty vocabulary of cuss words that he wasn’t proud of. It ended in broken vases littering the entrance of their shared apartment. It ended with sobbing screams of betrayal and pain as Felix mourned all that he lost to Jinho. It ended with a barefoot walk down the street as he tried to figure out what he was going to do with his life now that the only thing he ever knew was gone.</p><p>It was a miracle he did it once, but it was only because he was already at his wits end. He couldn’t take it anymore. The way Jinho spoke to him, the bruises he left on his wrists, the discouraging insults and humiliating bedroom talk that somehow turned Jinho on while it beat down on Felix’s confidence. It was beating him down until he was halfway in the ground, and he was lucky he was able to climb himself out.</p><p>Would he have the courage to do it again?</p><p>Would he be able to stand up to Jinho? Without a voice to scream with? Without the fury he felt that one night propelling him forward? Or would he crack under the pressure of an alpha’s gaze? Would he submit to the dominating pheromones that forced him into the pretty omega Jinho wanted him to be?</p><p>He wasn’t sure.</p><p>“Felix?” Changbin inched further over the table, “I’m here for you. What can I do to help?”</p><p>Felix shook his head, blinking himself back to the present, which was something he felt he did far more often than usual lately. He swept another look towards the window where Jinho once was, glaring at Felix from across the street, only to find it taken up by a couple of girls chatting together as they drank boba tea. He breathed a sigh of relief, and turned his attention back towards Changbin’s fidgeting figure.</p><p><em> I’m okay </em>, Felix mouthed out his words, because he wasn’t sure if he could trust his shaky hands to write anything legible.</p><p>And unsurprisingly, Changbin looked like he didn’t believe him, “Are you sure? You seemed really freaked out.”</p><p>Felix nodded, attempting to push a smile on his face for reassurance but it looked about as wobbly as his confidence was. Changbin reciprocated with his own worried smile.</p><p>He felt bad lying to Changbin, but it was far too complicated to explain to a beta he’d only met twice. How was he supposed to explain two years of torment and another two years of poor mental health on a few sheets of lined paper?</p><p>
  <em> You want him to know. </em>
</p><p>He didn’t. He didn’t want anyone knowing about his past, about how weak he was, about how weak he <em> still is </em>.</p><p>He didn’t need more people worried about him. He didn’t need people knowing everything about him only to use it against him later, didn’t need to feel the pain when they eventually hurt him with everything he trusted them with.</p><p>
  <em> You’re comparing them to Jinho, that’s not fair to them. </em>
</p><p>Felix wanted to groan, and he’s sure his omega knew that, because he felt irritation bubble in his chest in retaliation.</p><p>His rational brain had finally risen to the forefront for the moment, and all of the logical sides of himself were fighting with the sugar coated thoughts that were in control everytime Chan’s pack was around.</p><p>
  <em> You’re living your life in fear. Why don’t you realize that? </em>
</p><p>No, he was living his life in safety. He was protecting himself from a repeat of Jinho. He was cautious of who he trusted, and he made sure not to let people too close because that’s <em> exactly </em>how he fell into Jinho’s clutches the first time.</p><p>Not again.</p><p>“Maybe we should head out,” Changbin suggested as he nervously tapped his fingers on the table, “I can take you home if you’d like.”</p><p>Felix gave a shaky nod, taking hold of his grocery bag as Changbin dumped their trash in a bin. The omega waited patiently for Changbin before walking out the door together. The omega kept his head down, scanning the brown tile as his feet moved through the building until he stepped on cool pavement. The biting cold wind pinched at his skin, and he instinctively shivered against the weather.</p><p>Then there was a pressure over his shoulders, something black draping over his figure. Felix raised his head just as Changbin pulled back, no longer wearing his thick winter coat over his long sleeved shirt. He coughed awkwardly as avoided looking straight at Felix, acting as if nothing had happened, and the omega felt a warmth blossoming from his chest.</p><p>“Your hands look cold,” Changbin commented quietly, and Felix pulled his hands in front of him to see the red fingers burning against the cold.</p><p>He hadn’t dressed well for the weather, not by choice but because he didn’t have the proper clothing, and that meant no gloves.</p><p>“Can I hold your hand?”</p><p>Felix’s head shot up, tearing his gaze from his fingers to the shy eyes staring at him. Changbin stood in front of him, just a few feet from the window looking into the restaurant they left, with his hands outstretched towards Felix. He looked so hopeful, maybe a little scared Felix would reject him, but fully prepared to accept it if that happened.</p><p>
  <em> This man would never hurt you. </em>
</p><p>Changbin smelled like steady rainfall, lulling Felix into a calm headspace once again. Changbin didn’t wear scent blocker, most betas didn’t with their neutral scents, but Changbin’s felt too intimate to be free for anyone to smell. He was late nights under the moonlight, dew droplets resting on his eyelashes, mist layering his shoes as he danced through blades of grass. Changbin was late mornings, curdled up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate as strings of water lined down the window panes. Felix wished he could keep it all to himself, encased in a tiny bottle for only him to enjoy.</p><p>
  <em> He’s everything you wished Jinho could have been. </em>
</p><p>Felix accepted, reaching out to meet Changbin’s awaiting hands. The beta hummed happily as he wrapped his warm fingers around Felix’s ice cold ones. He gently rubbed against the red skin, bringing Felix’s hands up to his mouth and breathing hot air into their cupped hands. His fingers tingled all the way down his arm, and he gave another involuntary shiver. Except this time it wasn’t due to the cold.</p><p>
  <em> They all are. They’re all nothing like him. </em>
</p><p>Changbin dropped Felix’s hands between them, but kept his hold secure. He smiled at the omega, looking a little less worried at Felix’s blinking wide eyes and parted lips. The omega could feel the warmth burning across his cheeks, and there was no doubt Changbin noticed it as well.</p><hr/><p>Chan was at home rather early, a rare occurrence when he was always so swamped with work. His workload never dwindled, only maintained a constant pile of responsibilities that Chan slowly picked through each day. Which was why even as he sat on his L-shaped couch in the living room with Jeongin curled up next to him, he was still picking through a folder of important documents that probably should have never left his office at the company building to begin with.</p><p>Work still needed to be done, and being a business owner meant he was <em> constantly </em> working.</p><p>“Chan, how are you not dead yet?” Jeongin grumbled from his slumped position on the couch.</p><p>“What do you mean, Innie?” Chan mumbled back without taking his eyes off the line of typed words he was scanning.</p><p>“You’re always working. Don’t you ever get tired?”</p><p>Chan hummed back, though if he was honest he had barely registered his packmates words in his head. He was too focused on this concept pitch, about a new girl group that was supposed to revolve around astronauts, and half of their requirements were going to cost Chan a pretty penny to complete. The idea was excellent, and the execution so far had been great, but some of the logistics needed to be figured out. He needed to figure out how he would fund the new group without hurting any of their current projects or signed groups-</p><p>“<em> Chan </em> are you even <em> listening </em> to me?”</p><p>“Huh?” Chan shook his head and quickly looked up from the papers.</p><p>To his left, Jeongin was lightly kicking him with his sock-covered foot in exasperation until the alpha finally removed his attention from the folder and placed it on the needy beta laying across the couch.</p><p>“Sorry Innie,” Chan smiled, turning his body to face the very much annoyed beta, “I got lost in work again.”</p><p>“You’re always lost in work lately,” the younger sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest, “When’s the last time you took a day off that didn’t involve you taking work home?”</p><p>Just as Chan was about to say he takes breaks without bringing home work<em> all the time </em>, Minho entered the living room with a steaming cup of tea and challenging smirk, “It’s been at least two months, Channie.”</p><p>“It’s the life of an entrepreneur!”</p><p>Minho didn’t humor him with a response. Instead he stopped directly in front of Chan, their knees only a few centimeters away from each other, and looked down at the alpha with a cocked eyebrow, “Trade me.”</p><p>Chan blinked up at the omega who was acting very much <em> not </em>like an omega at the moment. He stared down at Chan, a dominating action all on it’s own, and if Chan was any other alpha his instincts would have flared in injured pride at Minho’s attempt to dominate him. He was wearing a smile that almost dared Chan to defy him, to deny him of what he wanted or try to fight against his will.</p><p>Minho did this occasionally, took charge in place of Chan or even towards Chan himself. It’s definitely not something any other pack would encourage or even accept as the norm, but Chan loved Minho’s feisty nature. He loved when Minho fought against the societal mold, loved when he acted out of what was expected, loved when he showed the world that omegas weren’t much different from the rest of them.</p><p>But, that didn’t mean Chan liked listening to Minho all the time, especially when it came to something he was stubborn about. So it took the alpha a few seconds to relinquish his hold on the file folder. Not until Minho made grabby hands with a quick “Gimme” did Chan finally give up his work for the hot tea Minho tried to give him.</p><p>Satisfied with his success, Minho grinned ear to ear as he held the folder up to his chest.</p><p>“That’s not fair,” Jeongin pouted at the two, having witnessed the whole ordeal with poorly hidden jealousy, “I want tea too.”</p><p>“Go get it yourself,” Minho turned on his heels, heading straight back to the hallway to deposit Chan’s work in his home office.</p><p>Jeongin on the other hand, groaned out loud as he dramatically threw his head back against the pillow he was laying back on, “Why is he so mean?”</p><p>“<em> I’ll show you mean, Yang Jeongin! </em>” Minho shouted from down the hallway, and Chan couldn't hold back his chuckles as Jeongin flipped onto his stomach and stuffed his face in the pillow.</p><p>“<em> I don’t know why I love any of you </em>,” Jeongin complained into the cushion.</p><p>“Because we’re adorable,” Hyunjin said as he entered the living room, still dragging around the crutches Chan had explicitly said the alpha was required to keep with him at all times unless he was looking for a punishment.</p><p>And Chan wasn’t kidding about that, Hyunjin was very much aware.</p><p>“<em> None of you are adorable. I’m the only adorable one </em>,” Jeongin’s muffled voice said.</p><p>Hyunjin tossed a quick look at Chan who just sipped his tea with raised eyebrows, then the pack alpha watched as the dancer hobbled across the living room until he was in front of Jeongin. The beta couldn’t prepare for the sudden weight of Hyunjin as the alpha dropped on top of the younger's back, resulting in a loud grunt as the breath was knocked out of him.</p><p>“Hyunjin, get <em> off </em> ,” Jeongin turned his head as he struggled against Hyunjin’s body that was relaxing into the Jeongin sized pillow he sat on, “ <em> Chan, </em> tell him to get off.”</p><p>“Hm?” Chan took another sip of his tea, his gaze zeroed in on the television that was playing the daily news stories, “I must be hearing things. I could have sworn the couch just spoke.”</p><p>“I’m not part of the couch!”</p><p>“Yeah,” Hyunjin agreed with Chan with the facade of discomfort as he patted the brown curls on top of Jeongin’s head, “It's a little lumpy too. We should probably look into something nicer.”</p><p>“Did I hear someone say new couch?!” Jisung came bounding into the living room, barely sparing anyone a glance as he jumped onto the couch and nearly missed landing on Jeongin’s head by a hair.</p><p>“Jisung be careful!” Chan warned, but by the time the words passed his lips, Jisung was already on top of the sofa. Chan sighed to himself as the younger alpha rubbed his cheek against the cushion while Jeongin was panting with relief that he hadn’t gotten body slammed by one of his partners.</p><p>“Don’t get rid of it!” Jisung wrapped his arms around the piece of furniture as much as could with his small arms, “I love this couch!”</p><p>“Sungie,” Chan huffed fondly at his pack mate, “We’re not getting a new couch.”</p><p>“But why is he so attached to it in the first place?” Seungmin strolled into the crowded living room, elegantly flopping into the corner right by Jisung’s feet. The alpha eyed Jisung, who was lying long ways similarly to Jeongin, then lightly slapped his leg, “You should move before you end up like Innie.”</p><p>“Is no one gonna help me?” Jeongin whined while Jisung gasped at just finally noticing Jeongin’s predicament.</p><p>“No one help him,” Minho returned, his hands full with another cup of hot tea that he placed on the black coffee table before joining Hyunjin in sitting on top of the youngest pack member.</p><p>“Minho!” Jeongin wheezed at the added weight but both Hyunjin and Minho just giggled at his misfortune.</p><p>“You have to stay still for at least three minutes,” Jeongin immediately tried to object to Minho’s declaration, but shut up as soon as Minho began threatening to make his suffering last even longer.</p><p>Chan sat back against the back of their living room couch, his legs pulled up to cross in front of them as he nursed the nice warm cup of tea Minho had made him. He watched with a smile as each of his pack members conversed. As much as they were all a chaotic bunch of wolves, Chan saw their true selves regardless of what they portrayed.</p><p>Seungmin was pulling Jisung closer to him, wrapping his arms around the hyperactive alpha and locking his fingers in front of them both. Jisung brought his own fingers up to Seungmins, playing with the digits as he began comparing his own hand size to the other alpha with clear curiosity.</p><p>Jeongin, though he was trapped under the crushing weight of Hyunjin and Minho combined, was still enjoying the light scratches of Hyunjin’s nails against his scalp and the gentle rubbing of Minho’s knuckles against his muscles. Hyunjin was cooing at Jeongins content face, asking him if he could still breathe, while Minho watched the cooling tea on the coffee table. The tea Chan already knew was meant for Jeongin but the omega didn’t want him drinking it until it was cooled down.</p><p>He grinned into his mug, gulping down another mouthful of delicious black tea.</p><p>As they were all seated in the living room, the sound of the front door lock clicked against the door frame altered everyone. All of their heads were angled to face the hallways they knew led to the entrance, listening for the sound of the swinging door and the tap of shoes on the wooden floor.</p><p>But it wasn’t even the sounds that Chan registered first, it was the smell of a storm that told Chan something wasn’t right.</p><p>Everyone seemed to realize the same thing as Chan, each of their eyes turning to the pack alpha as they waited to be told what to do. He wasted no time in standing from the couch, leaving his mug on the coffee table and signaling for all of them to stay there.</p><p>Chan quickly retreated from the living room, heading down the dark hallways just in time to see Changbin beginning to tear off his shoes. His hands were empty of any grocery bags and he wasn’t wearing his coat, something that worried Chan when he saw how soaked the beta was. It might have started raining outside.</p><p>“Binnie,” Chan called out softly, “Where’s your coat? I thought you were wearing one?”</p><p>“I was,” Changbin grunted as he finally pulled off his last shoe and placed them both in their rather large shoe closet, “And now I’m not. As far as I’m concerned, I’m in the market for a new coat.”</p><p>“Okay…” Chan trailed off, watching as Changbin stomped past him. He didn’t even stop at the living room, seemingly not noticing the huddle their packmates had made on the couch. Instead, he made a bee-line down the hallway towards their shared bedrooms with the entire pack’s concerned eyes following him. No one said a word, remaining silent until they heard the click of a door closing.</p><p>“I’m gonna check on him,” Chan announced to the rest of their pack, “Do me a favor and stay in here?”</p><p>He didn’t wait for a response, but he knew none of them would go against his word. When the situation got serious, when Chan took his role as pack alpha with the utmost responsibility, no one defied him. Minho would keep everyone in line, and Hyunjin would take his role as acting alpha seriously with the absence of Chan.</p><p>He followed the trail that Changbin made down the hallway, passing by their various spare bedrooms and Chan’s home office until he made it to Changbin’s personal studio. He knew Changbin was in there, even with the scent and sound proofing they had down to the entire penthouse before they moved in. It was the beta’s safe place, where he went to decompress and release his pent up emotions without any fear of the other pack members smelling it on him.</p><p>It wasn’t uncommon for any of them to disappear, and any other day Chan might have let Changbin relax on his own until he was ready to be around people. But as the beta entered the apartment smelling like failure and fear, Chan felt his own heart crack. Something told him not to let this go, not to remain ignorant to his packmates suffering just for the sake of privacy. He needed to be there for him, even if Changbin didn’t want him there.</p><p>He tried to school his features, keeping his scent as neutral as possible, then approached the door and slowly turned the handle.</p><p>It was unlocked, much to Chan’s relief, and as the door swung open he was hit with the potent hurricane radiating off of Changbin. He quickly stepped in and shut the door behind him before any of his scent could float into the rest of the apartment. It was obvious the beta was trying to keep his emotions contained until he was hidden by the protective walls in hopes it would protect the more susceptible members of their pack from reacting to his pheromones. </p><p>And Chan had to say he agreed with that decision, because Changbin’s scent was so overwhelming that it even disoriented Chan for a moment.</p><p>The pack alpha stepped closer into the room, finding Changbin waist deep in the closet as he pulled clothes off his hangers and flung them behind him. He was making a pile of T-shirts and sweatpants in the center of the room, and he could spot some socks and even a pair of his shoes among the growing mountain of clothing.</p><p>It reminded Chan of when an omega was nesting, when Minho would tear through all of their closets to find whatever articles of clothing his omega deemed worthy enough to build his nest with. He briefly considered this was Changbin’s way of trying to calm his wolf, to help himself feel secure in a hand-made nest that he could curl up in. It was uncharacteristic behavior for a beta, but if it helped his pack mate then Chan would give him all of the clothes he needed.</p><p>Changbin noticed he was there, Chan could tell by the spike of irritation in his scent. But he didn’t blame the beta for being frustrated with his pack alpha. They had personal spaces for a reason, it was their safe space and Chan had encroached on his without asking. But Chan was going to have to settle for apologizing later, after Changbin had calmed down and was no longer soaked with rain water.</p><p>“Hey,” Chan stood just inside the room, his shoulder blades nearly touching the door behind him, “What are you doing, Binnie?”</p><p>“Getting clothes,” He bit out as he threw a pair of gloves into the pile.</p><p>“Okay,” Chan nodded along, giving the illusion that he understood even if he didn’t. The last thing he wanted to do was make Changbin feel stupid or to question why he was acting the way he was acting. That was a recipe for disaster. Chan needed to be understanding. He needed to listen and try to see what Changbin was seeing, no matter how strange it seemed, “What are you doing with your clothes?”</p><p>“I’m giving them to Felix.”</p><p>“Felix?” Chan shouldn’t be surprised at this point. The omega had become so entangled in his packs’ life that it seemed he was almost always present in Chan’s mind. Within two weeks, Chan had run into Felix at least three times, all of those times revolving around a pack issue that Felix somehow happened to be involved in. But Chan hadn’t minded much, in fact he enjoyed seeing the omega. He just wished it was under better circumstances.</p><p>“Yeah, Lee Felix,” Changbin spoke in a bitter tone, and for a moment Chan was worried it was pointed at Felix, until Changbin continued, “It’s so cold outside and he doesn’t even own winter clothes. He’s gonna freeze to death if he doesn’t wear more layers.”</p><p>“So, you’re giving him yours?” Chan guessed, “Are you sure your clothes are going to fit him?”</p><p>“Why?” Changbin huffed, pulling out of the closet with a glare pointed at the alpha, “Because I’m short? Are you about to make a short joke? Fuck you, Chan.”</p><p>“No-” Chan cut himself off with a sigh stuck in his throat. That’s <em> not </em>what he was going to say, but Changbin was irritable, sensitive, and obviously worked up. He needed to go about this another way, “Why don’t we just buy him new clothes? Then he has a proper wardrobe that matches his size and fashion preference. And you don’t lose all of your clothes.”</p><p>Money wasn’t an issue, it was no secret he loved spoiling his pack mates and they loved to do it back to him. Changbin should know this. If he wanted to give Felix new clothes, then he should have no problem dropping a few thousand won on whatever clothes he wanted to gift the omega. Of course Felix's health was important, and he should be dressed appropriately for the weather.</p><p>But Changbin was hesitant, his grip on one of his t-shirts tightened as he bit his lip, almost as if he would rather give away his own clothes than pick out brand new ones.</p><p>“Or maybe, there’s another reason you want to give him your clothes?”</p><p>The pieces were starting to fall into place, and Changbin’s scent was pointing him in the right direction. The frenzied emotions were twisting into embarrassment, confusion, and eventually Changbin whined in distress as he struggled to come to terms with what he was feeling. He could sense the colliding thoughts, the uncertainty and the regret that was turning the hurricane into slow depressing drizzle.</p><p>“Oh, Binnie,” Chan stepped closer to the beta and wasted no time in wrapping his arms around the smaller wolf. Changbin dropped his t-shirt, returning the hug and stuffing his cold nose and wet hair into Chan’s chest.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Changbin mumbled into Chan’s shirt, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Chan squeezed the other, unbothered by the wet patches that were forming on his own clothes, “I understand.”</p><p>“Is it wrong?” the beta’s voice strained against his throat. He sounded like he was holding back tears, and Chan felt another piece of himself crack, “Is it wrong that I want to smell my scent on him?”</p><p>“No,” Chan answered immediately, “There’s nothing wrong with that.”</p><p>“But I barely know him,” Chan hummed along, having heard and thought that before, “My wolf is obsessed with him and I hardly know him. I’m going feral because he smelled like me, and now I <em> always </em> want him to smell like me.”</p><p>There were still a lot of holes that Chan needed filled. There was a story that he didn’t know and he was going to need to hear it before he could help Changbin through this situation. But that would come later, after Changbin was dry and warm, wrapped up in fluffy blankets with warm bodies cuddled up around him.</p><p>“We’ll figure this out,” Chan’s voice was soft, reassuring, and Changbin’s breath stuttered against the tears that were finally starting to surface, “It’ll all be okay.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello hello! I am back with this very exciting chapter!!! I hope ya'll liked it :D Thank you so so so much for all of your support both here in the comments and on twitter!!! You guys make me so happy to update and keep this story alive!!! I'm very excited to show you next chapter :)</p><p>Also, to my AMAZING beta <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinystreetlamp">tinystreetlamp</a>, YOU ARE PERFECT!!!! I APPRECIATE YOU SO SO MUCH!!!!</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took about thirty minutes for Changbin’s emotions to settle, and another thirty minutes for the beta’s potent scent to begin to dissipate in the air.</p><p>Chan had held him close, gently rocking their bodies together as Changbin finally let his tears drop with shuddered breaths. His fingers were beginning to loosen their hold on Chan’s shirt, and he could tell Changbin’s energy had dwindled significantly after he had dropped the load of emotion into his studio. He must have struggled to keep his wolf pent up on his way home, and when he was finally locked behind scent proof walls, he had exerted himself to forcefully push out as much of his frustration as he could.</p><p>The beta was exhausted, and Chan couldn’t blame him.</p><p>“You wanna sit down?” Chan whispered against Changbin’s forehead with a small kiss against his clammy skin.</p><p>Changbin gave a tiny nod which prompted Chan to slowly lower them both to the floor. Chan sat criss-crossed on the carpet and pulled Changbin into his lap. He wrapped his arms around his packmate’s trembling figure, quietly humming reassurances as small wisps of regret continued to filter into the room. It was no longer as strong as it had been when Chan first entered, but it was still too much for the alpha to be happy with.</p><p>He was worried sick, wondering <em> why </em> Changbin was feeling like this. There’s no way smelling his scent on Felix was the only factor, but at the moment he had no idea what had led up to this version of Changbin. The unknown was killing him, and his wolf wasn’t happy with the way things had progressed so poorly.</p><p>Chan had begun to let his own scent trickle out and mix with Changbin’s in hopes of further calming down the wolf that was still so lost to the effects of his wolf. Chan could feel the tension in his mate's body loosen against his chest, gradually relaxing into the alpha’s hold as the regret was layered under the love and adoration Chan pushed out. He ghosted his fingertips over the skin of Changbin’s arms as the beta nuzzled his face against Chan’s neck, no doubt getting an extra dose of the sweet scent.</p><p>He was sure this would push Changbin into a calming headspace of sorts, not quite as deep as subspace given his biology, but still pleasant either way. And Chan was completely fine with it in the moment, in fact he preferred it. He hated knowing his packmates were hurting, were suffering at the hands of their wolve’s impulses, and knowing he had the power to change the course of one’s headspace with the use of his scent was something he had learned to utilize over time.</p><p>At one point, Chan had been scared of using his pheromones on his fellow pack members. </p><p>Given his status as head alpha, he legally had every right to do about as much as wanted so long as he followed the law. He was welcome to use his pheromones or even his alpha voice if he felt the need to, but he had always been adamantly against either ever since the day he presented. He remembered even comparing it to biological manipulation, forcing a headspace on another wolf without their consent. He’d seen it happen so often, seen omegas and betas, hell even some alphas fall victim to the scent of an aggressive alpha. He used to look at it with such disgust, and he loathed that he also held that power in his scent.</p><p>He kept his scent as neutral as he could through the end of his high school career. He forced himself to remain as a constant calm and collected alpha throughout the day, and then indulged in squeezing all of his emotions into the community pool so he could muffle the impact of his pheromones for the sake of anyone nearby. And once he learned of scent blockers, he had invested in the higher end brands. He wanted to be 100% positive that none of his scent would unknowing affect another passing wolf, wouldn’t affect his family or his friends, or his classmates or coworkers.</p><p>It was incredibly unhealthy, he could recognize that now.</p><p>His fear of his own scent had become one of the biggest hurdles he needed to overcome when he started his pack.</p><p>When Chan, Minho, Changbin, and Jisung formed a pack together, it was a unanimous decision that Chan would be pack alpha. No one had questioned it, in fact it hadn’t even been a discussion. It was just a mutual agreement from the beginning. Chan had taken the role seriously in every aspect, going above and beyond for his pack and making sure they were all happy. He learned about the quirks he didn’t know about before. He discovered what made Jisung angry and what made him docile. He found out how sensitive Changbin could really be. He learned that Minho was just as headstrong as any alpha or beta, and Chan needed to be careful not to overstep.</p><p>He also learned that Minho knew <em> him </em> just as much as he had grown to know <em> them </em>.</p><p><em> “You’re afraid,” </em>The omega had said one night in their bedroom at their old apartment. Back before the entire pack formed, when all four of them shared a one bedroom flat that cost more money than any of them wanted to pay. Back when Chan was still too young and stupid, still learning about the business world and so close to making his move into the entertainment industry.</p><p>It was one of the only arguments they’d had, one that only lasted thirty minutes at the most and was over before Changbin and Jisung had returned home from the store.</p><p>
  <em> “I’m not afraid,” Chan mumbled from beside Minho on their bed, but he knew his scent was betraying him. Minho could smell the doubt, and the fear that Minho had accused him of having. But Chan was nothing if not stubborn in his younger years, and it took a bit for Minho to get through his thick skull. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You are,” The omega huffed lightly, “You’re overthinking things. You always overthink things.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Would you rather I didn’t think things through?” Chan threw back a bit bitterly, instantly regretting his tone with an apologetic glance towards his packmate, “Sorry, I’m just worked up.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I know,” Minho sighed, “And that’s okay. You’re allowed to have feelings.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Not when those feelings hurt you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You’re feelings don’t hurt me, Chan,” Minho turned his head to face Chan, but the alpha kept his gaze glued to his lap, “You know what hurts me?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What hurts me is when you keep blaming yourself for things you can’t control,” Minho reached up, slowly sliding his fingers over Chan’s shoulder up to his neck where his scent glands were. They were bulging up under his skin with the strain Chan was putting them through to keep his scent to himself, to hold back his emotions for the sake of Minho and the rest of the pack. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “These are here for a reason,” Minho gently massaged Chan’s neck, earning a low groan as the alpha unintentionally exposed more of his throat to give Minho more access. His pheromones came out against his attempt to contain them, letting his annoyance and fear fog up the room along with Minho’s sweet success. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You’re a wolf, Channie,” Minho leaned closer to the alpha who was blinking away black spots from his vision as Minho kept up his delicate pressure against his scent glands, “Wolves have pheromones for a reason. Wolves have instinct for a reason. You’re not a bad person for following them. You’re allowed to do what your wolf is telling you because you’re a good person.” </em>
</p><p>Logically, he knew Minho had intended for it to be a lesson in acceptance. The omega had wanted Chan to realize he was being an idiot for trying to put a lid on his emotions because he didn’t want to accidentally manipulate them. He wanted Chan to realize there were things about himself that he couldn’t change, needs that needed to be taken care of by the rest of them or else he was going to hurt himself. </p><p>But all Chan had felt was the heat in his abdomen and the growl in his chest that demanded he take control of the situation. His mind was flushed with the desire, the need to see Minho underneath him.</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t-,” Chan grunted as Minho pressed a bit harder against Chan’s neck, “I don’t think my wolf is telling me to do good things right now.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “That’s the point, Alpha,” Minho whispered dangerously close to Chan’s ear, “You have needs to. Don’t act like your wolf doesn’t exist. Embrace your alpha, because if you keep ignoring it you’re gonna snap.” </em>
</p><p>That night sparked a realization in Chan. It prompted long discussions about consent and boundaries with all of his pack. Minho had drilled it into him that biology was a large part of their romantic relationship.</p><p>
  <em> “I have needs too, Channie,” Minho whined, “I act all cocky but I’m still an omega. I need to submit every now and then.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Scent is something you can’t avoid,” Changbin added on, “Bottling it up because you’re afraid to hurt us isn’t good for you. Where does your pent up energy go?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “And besides,” Jisung finished off, “I like your scent. When I’m upset, you smell amazing. You just have to trust us to tell you when we don’t like it.” </em>
</p><p>And that had been the hardest part of him. He had trust in his packmates, but he didn’t have trust in his wolf. How would Minho, an omega that was at the most risk of falling victim to pheromone abuse, communicate with him that he didn’t want this if he was so far under already?</p><p>Jisung and Changbin could try to fight it off if they really wanted to, but Minho?</p><p>
  <em> “I trust you,” Minho promised him, that same night, “I know you know what’s right for me. That’s the only reason I’m wearing your tag on my collar right now. Don’t doubt your instincts, because I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you.” </em>
</p><p>Eventually, after many months of unlearning bad habits and confiding in his packmates, he had grown to accept that his pheromones weren’t going away. He learned that he needed to be okay with them, that he was going to use them on his packmates and they <em> wanted </em> them to be used on them. He learned what was too much, what was too little, and what was just right. He started to fill the air with pine more often when Jisung was particularly feisty, and he reeled it in when Minho was in <em> that </em> kind of mood that practically dared any of them to defy him. </p><p>He learned his partners, and now he had confidence that he knew exactly when and where he should use his pheromones.</p><p>This was one of those times, and Chan knew Changbin would be more than okay with Chan having intervened before he was able to toss all of his wardrobe into their car and drive it straight to Felix.</p><p>The two sat on the floor of Changbin’s home studio for a bit longer. Only the sounds of their heavy breathing broke through the mantra of reassuring words Chan continued to mutter into Changbin’s ear. After the haze of emotion began to fade, the soaking wet clothing Changbin was wearing started to affect the beta. His trembles were replaced with shivers and chattering teeth, and Chan figured it was only a matter of time before the wet clothes would give him a cold.</p><p>“Silly Binnie,” Chan huffed fondly as rubbed his palms more aggressively over Changbin’s arms, “It was sweet of you to give your coat to Felix, but now look at you? What if you get sick?”</p><p>“Worth it,” Changbin mumbled from under Chan’s chin, and the alpha chuckled in response.</p><p>“How are you feeling, baby?” Chan pulled Changbin far enough away from his chest that they could fully face each other.</p><p>“Tired, Channie.”</p><p>Chan watched as Changbin attempted to blink the exhaustion from his eyes. Even though it was still rather early in the day, Chan wasn’t surprised to hear that the whirlwind of emotions had left the beta without any energy. But it still made him a bit worried. He always worried after one of his partners fell so far into their mind at the hands of their wolves. It took so much brain power to return to the human part of their consciousness, and he knew how draining it must be even to talk right now.</p><p>But sadly, Chan needed to know what had gone wrong before he could let Changbin sleep.</p><p>“I would be too,” Chan hummed as he continued to rub the goosebumps on his packmates arms, “But we gotta clean you up before you fall asleep.”</p><p>“Don’t wanna,” Changbin whined in response, “Wanna sleep.”</p><p>“What if you sleep in the bath?” Chan offered to the sleepy beta, “You can take a little nap and I’ll take care of the rest.”</p><p>Changbin, and Chan for that matter, reeked of their own pheromones. There was no way Chan could let either of them within a ten foot radius of the others until they were scrubbed clean. So there wasn’t really any chance of Changbin getting out of taking a bath without risking the loss of his cuddle privileges for the night.</p><p>So luckily, and reluctantly, Changbin agreed.</p><p>“Alright, let’s get you up,” Chan gently pushed Changbin into a sitting position, intending to lift the beta into his arms, but much to Chan’s surprise, Changbin began to stand himself up without any more assistance.</p><p>He was aware that Changbin was a fully capable man, one that didn’t necessarily <em> need </em> Chan to help him, but he felt inclined to go the extra mile with his pack. He liked to take care of them, it was in his instincts and it was harder to ignore when one of them was hurt. The impulse to toss Changbin into his arms and carry him straight to the bathroom was almost too much to control, but he held back for the sake of his partner.</p><p>As much as he <em> wanted </em> to take care of Changbin like that, Chan was mindful that the beta was <em> trying </em> to be independent right now, and he would respect that.</p><p>“You okay?” Chan asked at the beta finally got his footing and stood up straight.</p><p>Changbin definitely didn’t look put together, not that Chan would have expected him to. His clothes were dripping small puddles of water on the floor, his hair was tangled and disheveled, and his face was red and blotchy. He looked off balance, like he was seconds away from tipping over but caught himself just in time to end up looking like a stumbling deer.</p><p>“Oh Bin,” Chan approached the beta to run his hand along his back, “Come on, you can lean on me if you want.”</p><p>And Changbin did, leaning nearly his entire weight on Chan’s shoulder as the alpha walked them both towards the door. He was careful as he opened it to prevent too much of the smell from entering the main house, then ushered them both into the spare bathroom closest to the studio. </p><p>Normally, their master bathroom would have been Chan’s preferred choice. The bathtub was huge, with water jets that Hyunjin and Jeongin had gone nuts over when they first got it installed. They had gone the extra mile when stocking up on soothing bath bombs, per Minho’s request, Seungmin and Changbin had insisted on getting waterproof speakers, and Jisung begged for a tv screen that could be put into the shower walls.</p><p>It sure was a lot more fun to take a bath with all of those luxurys, but the hall bath would do the job just fine.</p><p>“Alright, I’m gonna put you down so I can start the water,” Changbin made a noise in response that Chan assumed was his way of saying “okay” without having to open his mouth.</p><p>“If you can, try to start undressing, yeah?” Chan said as he set him down on the closed toilet seat, “Whatever you don’t get to I can help you with.”</p><p>Chan turned away from Changbin, turned the faucet on to a decent temperature, and held his hand under the tap to test it. There was a bottle of bubble bath in the corner that Chan was debating on putting into the water. He knew Minho loved bubble baths when he was in subspace, and Hyunjin had been a frequent user of their bubble bath stock in the past, but Changbin usually never chose to put additives in his bath water.</p><p>With a quick glance behind him revealing Changbin who was still slowly shrugging off his shirt, Chan turned back around and made a grab for the bottle. Bubbles were nice, no matter who used them, and he still had that nagging desire to pamper his partner in whatever way he could.</p><p>He poured a cap full of the mixture into the water and used his hands to mix it together until the stream from the tap began to make the bubbles on it’s own. He watched the bath water rise, taking the time to distribute bubbles equally across the top of the water until it had filled up enough for him to shut off the tap. He didn’t bother with a towel, choosing to dry his hands on his clothes since he was going to be taking them off anyways, and turned to face Changbin once again.</p><p>“Well, at least you got the shirt off,” Chan smiled at Changbin who had dropped his head in his hands with only his shirt making it off his body.</p><p>“<em> ‘M tired </em>,” Changbin’s voice came out muffled from inside his hands.</p><p>“Alright, I got you,” Chan said softly. He took it upon himself to discard the pants and undergarments from the beta who was far too exhausted to do it on his own. He then followed through with his own clothes and tossed all of them into the laundry basket in the corner.</p><p>“I’m gonna get you in the water now.”</p><p>Changbin hummed as he lifted his head and attempted to blink away the sleep that was weighing down his eyelids. He looked adorable, even with his wet hair and red, stuffy nose. He was looking up at Chan with so much trust and appreciation, and the alpha mirrored it all back to him. He loved his pack with his entire heart, his wolf was helplessly obsessed with them, and his heart still pounded years into their relationship.</p><p>He felt so lucky every second he spent with them. He still got electric tingles every time their skin touched. His dreams were still filled with their loving embrace and he woke up grateful when one of them was curled up in his arms.</p><p>He was disgustingly in love, and it was amazing.</p><p>Changbin was lifted into the air, and the beta wrapped his arms around Chan’s neck as the alpha moved them to the bathtub. Chan slowly lowered them into the water until they were seated on the bottom of the tub. He maneuvered them so Changbin was resting against Chan’s chest with his head tilted back against his shoulder.</p><p>The warm water instantly calmed Changbin’s shivers, and Chan had to grab him from slipping too far down into the water. Chan cupped some of the water and poured it onto the younger's shoulders, down his chest, and over his neck until more of his skin had warmed up.</p><p>“I’m gonna get started,” Chan warned him, receiving another hum in response.</p><p>It only took a few minutes into Chan massaging warm water into Changbin’s hair for the beta to fall asleep, and this time Chan let him remain asleep. He took his time untangling the black hair that had been attacked with harsh rain water, and he was careful as he rubbed away the leftover scent from Changbin’s neck.</p><p>He decided to wait to wash the beta’s hair until he was awake enough to tilt his head back so Chan didn’t get any soap in his eyes. In the meantime, he enveloped the man in his arms and sat back in the tub. He was mindful that Changbin’s head stayed above the water as he held him close, listening to the soft breaths as he watched the rise and fall of his chest.</p><p>Whatever had happened with Felix, for it to have brought Changbin’s wolf into such a possessive headspace… it worried Chan.</p><p>It’s become apparent that Felix was more than just the new janitor. He had already captured so much of his pack’s attention, and he wasn’t too stupid to realize even his own wolf was more than interested in the omega. There have been too many coincidences, and there were still so many unanswered questions that needed to be solved.</p><p>He glanced back down on Changbin, who was so exhausted from the onslaught of emotions he had been fighting back until he was safe in his studio. He thought back to Jisung, who had completely forgotten about his pheromone condition in the face of the omega when he was usually so conscious about it. He remembered Hyunjin who constantly fought Chan tooth and nail when it came to injuries, yet he listened to Felix without a second thought.</p><p>None of it made sense, and it bothered him.</p><p>This was going to require a pack discussion, one that was going to end in a decision on what to do, because Chan wasn’t sure if he could allow them to keep being blindsided like this. Every few days, something new was happening with the sweet omega which Chan had no control over, and he’s had too many close calls to be comfortable. Changbin, the normally soft spoken and calmest member of their pack was near feral when he returned home, and just last month Jisung was at risk of possible jail time.</p><p>They needed to figure this out before something worse happened. Because as much as he wanted to protect his pack, there was also Felix’s safety to worry about.</p><p>Jisung had still pulled Felix into subspace, and even if the omega insisted it was fine, it was still something Chan had been worried about. Felix was winding up in these weird encounters just as often as they were, and it was only a matter of time before something else went terribly wrong.</p><p>He exhaled a sigh, closing his eyes as he tried to relax into the warm water. There was a lot to talk about, but it was no use worrying about it right now. When Changbin woke up, and they rejoined the rest of their pack, Chan would have a pack meeting. They would figure this out, come to a conclusion, and make a game plan.</p>
<hr/><p>Another forty-five minutes of Changbin dozing off against Chan’s chest didn’t do as much to relieve the alpha of his worries as he had hoped it would. </p><p>He was still mulling over the past few weeks, trying to find some sort of link between the events that had transpired with his pack and the brand new janitor. He nitpicked all of his thoughts, all of the small conversations he’d had with the omega, all of the stories his packmates had shared with him, and he came back empty handed each time.</p><p>One by one his pack was encountering Lee Felix in the strangest of ways. It seemed inevitable that soon Minho, Seungmin, and Jeongin would wind up running into him too. It was like the universe was pulling them together against their will, and Chan felt powerless to stop it.</p><p>And part of him couldn’t deny that his alpha didn’t <em> want </em> to stop it.</p><p>As much as he was confused by the recent events, his wolf hadn’t been bothered by it. He hadn’t gotten even a slight surge of caution, or the usual jealousy his wolf would feel with other people outside his pack interacting with his mates. It was an annoying itch that Chan would purposely ignore, because his wolf was a dumbass sometimes, but now that he thought about it, he hadn’t felt it <em> at all </em> with Felix.</p><p><em> Not your omega </em>, he had told himself back during one of his talks with Felix in his office, one where he had to physically wrangle his wolf into submission in order to remain calm and collected during such a serious discussion.</p><p>It was like his wolf already considered Felix his, which just made things so much more complicated.</p><p>When the bathwater had gone from a blanket of warmth to a room temperature soak, Chan figured it was time to wake up Changbin.</p><p>He was patient, choosing to gradually wake the exhausted beta with small kisses and light nail scratches to his scalp. It took a few minutes for Changbin to wake up enough for Chan to try to finish cleaning his hair, which Changbin helped with by tilting his head back while Chan carefully poured water on top of the soap suds.</p><p>They finished up quickly, and Chan left Changbin in the water to fetch two of their fluffiest towels from the bathroom shelf. He dried himself to avoid getting more water on the floor, and returned to help Changbin pull himself out of the tub. Before he could start shivering again, Chan wrapped the towel around Changbins shoulders and rubbed the soft fabric over his arms.</p><p>After his nap, Changbin had lost the worrying scent of regret completely. He had returned to calm rainwater that eagerly allowed Chan to pull him for a kiss full of cold lips.</p><p>Changbin had a sense of independence that Chan always respected. He chose to drive himself to work, to do the pack grocery shopping, to watch over Jeongin as the only other beta in their pack, and he did it all with a sense of accomplishment. He enjoyed taking responsibility, and he appreciated it when Chan regarded him as not only another wolf, but much as an alpha would to another alpha. </p><p>But even alphas sometimes needed to let go, and being a beta, Changbin needed to let go just a little bit more than Chan did.</p><p>Betas didn’t have an instinct to submit or dominate either way, rather they felt inclined to be present in whatever way was necessary. They provided comfort to omegas in heat, and they stepped in when an alpha in rut went overboard, all while never needing anything themselves. They balanced a pack, and they did it well, but they certainly weren’t built the same way an alpha or an omega were.</p><p>Betas were <em> simple </em> in theory, but to Chan they could be the most confusing subgender purely because his instincts came in handy when dealing with <em> omegas </em>more so than betas.</p><p>Changbin, and Jeongin for that matter, were strong willed wolves who could handle themselves just fine. They didn’t need Chan to take care of them, and they didn’t bend over backwards for Minho the moment his scent smelled off. They were logical, rational in their decisions where the rest of them were driven by their instincts. So it was so much harder for Chan to <em> know </em> what to do with them because his wolf was accustomed to reacting to an omega. </p><p>But he learned.</p><p>Chan learned that betas still needed to be cared for. Maybe it was a bit different than if they were omegas, and it definitely wasn’t as often or as intense as when Chan brought Minho down into subspace, but it was still as intimate and important. And Chan cherished the times when he got to smother his beta babies.</p><p>So when moments like this came, where Changbin enjoyed being coddled and pampered by his alphas, he would graciously give in to his wolf.</p><p>“Hey Binnie,” Chan pulled back from the kiss and rested his forehead against Changbin’s, “How are you feeling?”</p><p>“I’m okay,” He mumbled as he leaned more into Chan’s embrace, “You smell nice.”</p><p>“Do I?” Chan ran his fingers through Changbin’s hair that was now tangle free and properly washed of the salty rain water, “I think <em> you’re </em> the one who smells nice. I might have to snuggle you all day because I can’t get enough of it.”</p><p>“Not happening,” Changbin scoffed playfully, and Chan grinned in response.</p><p>Chan was happy to hear Changbin’s usual banter once more. It was a sign that he was back to his normal self, along with his scent having neutralized to a subtle sprinkle once again.</p><p>“I’m glad you’re feeling better, Love,” And he really meant it.</p><p>“We need to figure this out, Chan” Chan let Changbin pull himself back to look Chan in the eyes, a worried gaze meeting his own.</p><p>“I know,” Chan agreed, “I’m calling an immediate pack meeting.”</p><p>“Right now?” Changbin asked, and at first Chan had thought he was going to be asked for it to be postponed. After Changbin’s emotional rollercoaster, Chan would understand, but he was surprised to see a desperate expression grace his partner's face, looking at Chan like he was ready to demand it himself if Chan tried to tell him no.</p><p>“Uh, do you <em> want </em> to do it now?” Chan offered, and before he could even finish speaking little droplets of water were sprinkles onto his face as Changbin enthusiastically nodded his head.</p><p>“Okay,” Chan chuckled as he set a hand atop Changbin’s head and ruffled the wet hair, “Are you sure? I can wait until you’ve gotten to relax a bit? You still look really tired.”</p><p>“No,” Chan quickly shut his mouth at Changbin’s serious tone, “I- <em> we </em>- need to talk about this. We can’t push this under the rug.”</p><p>“We won’t,” Chan reassured quickly, “Trust me, I don’t plan on letting this go.”</p><p>“Good,” Changbin gave a sigh of relief as he pulled the towel tighter around himself, “I’ll get changed and meet you out there then.”</p><p>“Alright,” Chan forced out as he watched Changbin turn towards the door. </p><p>A part of him didn’t like the image of his packmate leaving him. He knew Changbin was feeling better, and he wasn't one to rely on Chan for everything, but his wolf had been practically glowing as he got to cater to Changbin’s every whim. He loved being needed, loved doting on his lovers and making their worries disappear. But it was always hard for him to back down and ignore the protective instinct in him when his partners didn’t need to be babied anymore.</p><p>Now that Changbin didn’t need him anymore, he felt something akin to rejection light in the pits of his stomach.</p><p>He wasn’t one of the alphas who thrived off of obedience and constant submission, he was one who loved to indulge in his packs every desire. He was one that would do all the work for them just so they never have to dirty their feet, the one to pay for their meals and walk them to the door, the one to tuck them in and wake them up with breakfast in bed.</p><p>He was the first person running to Minho’s side when he was in subspace. He was the one who would cuddle someone to sleep if they were crying and gently wipe away their tears. He was the one to wrap someone up in a blanket burrito if they were sick and watch cartoons with them. He was naturally attuned to people's emotions, and he was programmed with the incessant need to fix it.</p><p>He needed to dominate, just like an omega needed to submit. It just so happened Chan’s version of “dominating” was less about asserting his dominance and more about making sure his partner was safe, healthy, and happy.</p><p>Giving space wasn’t easy for him, but he tried like hell to give the rest of them their private time. He respected their boundaries even if his alpha was struggling to keep itself contained. He never jumped into action without knowing what was okay, and he always kept their best interest in mind. But sometimes, especially when he had just smelled such potent distress pheromones from his packmate an hour ago, it was hard to revert back to normal.</p><p>He was still fighting with his wolf, still trying to hold back his own scent and stop himself from keeping Changbin at arm's length. Because Changbin didn’t need him to be overbearing now that he was okay, and Chan was trying to get his wolf to <em> calm the fuck down </em>.</p><p>Sometimes he needed time to readjust out of his protective mindset, just like an omega needed time to readjust into a normal headspace after going into subspace.</p><p>It seemed Changbin knew <em> exactly </em> what was going on in Chan’s head, because Changbin stopped just inches from the door, turning slightly to smile at Chan who was obviously failing to mask his true emotions, “On second thought, I might need some help. If you don’t mind?”</p><p>He couldn’t help the relief that washed over him.</p>
<hr/><p>Twenty minutes later found Changbin and Chan reunited with their pack in the living room. Changbin was seated close enough to the pack alpha that he was sure Chan could feel the heat of his leg against his own. Jeongin was on his other side making himself comfortable latched onto Chan’s bicep. He must have noticed the elder’s scent tinted with insecurity, and he had been the first to take the initiative to cling to the alpha. Chan relaxed with the beta wrapped around his arm, his scent calmed into something more pleasant, and he scratched at Jeongin’s hair line to show his appreciation.</p><p>Changbin didn’t even try to hide his smile.</p><p>Jeongin wasn’t usually a very touchy person, but much like the rest of them, he would do anything for his packmates when they were feeling off. It filled Changbin with pride knowing how thoughtful their partners could be. He was grateful they all knew how to read each other so well, and he tried to convey that in the subtle glance to the youngest.</p><p>With Changbin, Chan, and Jeongin taking up one section of the couch, the rest were all piled in close together on the other attachment. Limbs were tangled up in each other as they struggled to fit four people in a space meant for two, but none of them seemed bothered by it. Minho was squeezed against Seungmin, his legs crossed with Seungmin’s arm hanging over his shoulder. Jisung and Hyunjin were practically fused against each other, which was a comical sight given that both of them liked to pretend to hate physical affection, especially with each other.</p><p>Each of them were patiently waiting for either Chan or Changbin to begin. Their scents mixed together, forming a cloud of love, concern, and curiosity. He knew they were filled with questions, and rightfully so, but they remained silent as Changbin settled into the couch. They gave him soft smiles, Hyunjin sent him small air kisses, and Minho pushed a steaming cup of tea across the coffee table.</p><p>“I figured you’d appreciate something warm,” The omega explained with a shrug, as if his gesture wasn’t a big deal. </p><p>Changbin held back a giggle while choosing to let Minho pretend his kindness didn’t make his heart jump. He accepted the tea happily, letting the warm liquid chase away the lingering shivers that hadn’t quite disappeared. He downed at least half of it in one go because Minho always made the best tea.</p><p>“Thank you. It’s delicious, as always,” Changbin said as he placed the now empty cup back on the coffee table. </p><p>Minho returned the compliment with a pleased grin while Changbin leaned back on the couch. He pressed further into Chan’s side and gladly absorbed the warmth the other was radiating with a content sigh. His brain still felt a bit fuzzy, and his mind was having a hard time focusing. He knew it was just the result of his headspace shifting so suddenly, he needed time to recalibrate and return to normalcy, but it still annoyed him a bit that he kept having to catch himself from letting his thoughts stray away from the present.</p><p>“So,” Chan’s voice snapped Changbin back to the conversation at hand, “We need to have a pack meeting.”</p><p>Everyone nodded in understanding, having already assumed that would be the next course of action after the day's events.</p><p>It was custom for the pack alpha to lead pack meetings. Any issues or concerns among the pack members were among the pack alpha’s responsibility, and so as Chan began his entrance statement to the discussion, no one uttered a word. Until Chan had signified the beginnings of the full pack discussion, everyone respected his authority to control the space as he pleased.</p><p>“We need to talk about Felix,” Chan announced, calm and unwavering even as the scent in the room peaked with interest, “It’s obvious he’s become a rather big, and unexpected, part of our life lately. I think a few people have some stories to share, and I feel it’s best to share together.”</p><p>“Bin?” Chan pulled him into a side hug as he murmured low enough so only Changbin could hear, “Do you want to go first? Or would you rather wait?”</p><p>A part of Changbin wanted to just get it over with. He wanted to explain what happened today, confess to the strange feelings he felt and figure out what had happened, since he couldn’t seem to do it himself. He wanted his pack’s reassurance, wanted their opinions and perspective on what he had experienced so he didn’t have to rely on the confusion that fogged up his head.</p><p>But he also still couldn’t process anything, or get his mouth to cooperate with his brain very well. He felt exhausted, and he hardly wanted to speak let alone <em> think </em> right now. He needed to give himself some time, so he shook his head in response to Chan. The alpha accepted his response without anymore questions, instead taking back the reins himself to push the conversation forward.</p><p>“I’ll go first.”</p><p>Changbin felt Chan sit up straighter, evenly holding on to Changbin and Jeongin with each of his arms. He snuggled a bit closer to Chan anyways, and the alpha responded by tightening his hold for just a second. Chan’s fingers danced over his arms absentmindedly before diving into his own story.</p><p>“As you all know, Felix and I had a discussion last month regarding the situation with Jisung,” Chan began. Changbin spared a glance to Jisung, who upon hearing the beginning of Chan’s story had curled in on himself a bit. Before his scent could be tainted with his guilt, Changbin shot him a loving smile while Hyunjin murmured something in his ear.</p><p>The two days after Jisung had accidentally pulled Felix into subspace had been horrendous for all of them. Changbin couldn’t forget the anxiety dragging Jisung down each day, couldn’t forget the way he had hid away from them in shame. All of them had been struggling to keep the alpha from plummeting with his own negative thoughts, while also sympathizing with Felix. It was difficult, because while Jisung was their partner whom they <em> knew </em> hadn’t meant any harm, Felix was also just an innocent bystander. </p><p>“We all know how that ended,” Chan hummed with the majority of them nodded along, “And I’m more than grateful that nothing bad came out of that meeting.”</p><p>Chan opened his mouth to continue but paused with a low whine that Changbin almost missed. He pulled back to look at Chan better, and was met with pinched brows and a grimace. He looked conflicted, and while Changbin didn’t know what exactly Chan was conflicted about, he wasn't entirely surprised. It was likely <em> all of them </em> were conflicted about their own reservations about Felix, and that didn’t make it any easier to talk about them. </p><p>Changbin nuzzled a bit closer to the alpha while he searched for his words, supplying him with as much support as his affection could provide. He knew it was hard to be open and vulnerable, but Changbin wanted to remind him they were there for him. No matter what it is he had to say, they weren’t leaving.</p><p>“I was worried though,” Changbin rubbed soothing circles into Chan’s thigh as the alpha’s gaze dropped to the floor, “He came in looking so shaken up. He looked almost like he had truly gone through a subdrop. He was jittery, on edge, and his eyes were swollen and bloodshot. He smelled like he’d just had a breakdown, and I’m still not sure if it was our doing or not.”</p><p>Changbin froze for a second, breath hitched in his throat as the word <em> subdrop </em> processed in his head, then continued his tiny circles against Chan’s skin.</p><p>Changbin hadn’t seen Felix that day. After Jisung’s accident, the alpha had remained at their apartment to give both himself and Felix some space. Chan had taken responsibility to try to fix the situation to the best of his ability, and Changbin just… tried to stay out of the way.</p><p>He purposely chose to take longer routes and skipped lunch just so he didn’t bump into Felix, and because of that he hadn’t seen just how much he was suffering in the aftermath. But Chan apparently had, and he’d seen it first hand when he spoke with Felix in his office. </p><p>If it was true, that Felix was suffering from a subdrop two days after slipping into headspace…</p><p>It didn’t bode well, for Felix <em> or </em> for them.</p><p>“You never told me that,” Jisung whimpered with panic and uncertainty that matched the lurch of spice in his otherwise sweet cinnamon scent, “Y-you just said he wasn’t upset with me. You never s-said he looked that bad!”</p><p>Changbin jumped in his seat as soon as he properly processed the distress Jisung was spewing into the air.</p><p>Jisung had pushed himself upright on their couch. His fingers were curled into his seat, his nails biting into the leather just like his teeth bit into his lip. Changbin could hear the fretful gasps as Jisung struggled to keep his breathing steady and could only imagine the pounding he was feeling in his chest as he tried to remain calm.</p><p>Hyunjin acted first, instantly pulling the alpha back against his chest. He used his thumb to tug Jisung’s lip free from his teeth while grabbing his arms and curling them up to his chest. He loosely held onto Jisung’s hands in a way that it wouldn’t feel constricting, and then Hyunjin’s lavender mixed in with the cinnamon. Panic was overlaid with love, and slowly Jisung’s shallow breaths grew steadier.</p><p>It was heartbreaking that this wasn’t the first time they had witnessed something like this. It was a rather common occurrence in their pack. Jisung’s mental health was and had been an issue for years. Ever since his pheromone condition had come to light and his parents were badly injured, Jisung’s faith in himself had nearly died out. He had no trust in himself, in his wolf, in the instincts that were supposed to guide him… it was a disability that he had to cope with.</p><p>He didn’t have the forethought most alphas had, didn’t have the capability to control his scent enough to help someone calm down if he needed to. He couldn’t rely on his wolf because his wolf could have seriously hurt his parents, and now Felix as well.</p><p>“Sungie, you’re okay,” Hyunjin whispered as he slowly rocked themselves back and forth.</p><p>Minho was on the edge of his seat, keeping his distance but also prepared to jump in if he had to, while Seungmin stayed back. They learned over time it was best not to overwhelm Jisung if he was panicking. They tried to keep one set of hands, and preferably one scent if they could, because too much just confused him. If things got too bad they were all expecting Hyunjin to disappear with Jisung in one of the bedrooms, but luckily Jisung was slowly calming down. His scent was being smothered with Hyunjins, and he was blinking away the frantic look in his eyes.</p><p>“I’m sorry I never said anything, Sungie,” Chan clenched his fists, and Changbin had begun to feel the tension in the alpha’s arms. The normally soft and reassuring pine was tinged with ash, and Chan’s expression was painted with guilt, “I wasn’t even sure about things myself… I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.”</p><p>Truthfully, Changbin didn’t blame Chan for not saying anything.</p><p>As the pack alpha, he had a duty to take care of them in a sense. He knew everything going on, and he was the one who determined what was the best course of action. If he had chosen to keep Felix’s state a secret, then he had to have had a good reason. He wouldn’t make a reckless decision without debating the pros and cons.</p><p>Even though <em> Changbin </em> knew that Chan had their best interest at heart, he also knew Jisung’s mind was working against him, and it was destroying their pack alpha to see someone he loved so distraught.</p><p>“He’ll be okay,” Changbin spoke under his breath with Hyunjin’s soft murmuring in the background, “He just needs time to let his thoughts settle.”</p><p>“I know,” Chan responded with a small nod, though his eyes trained on Jisung’s shaky form, “I was afraid of this.”</p><p>Changbin hummed in response as he continued his slow circles into Chan’s leg. The conversation had died down to allow Jisung time to calm down, and in the mean time each of them were pondering Chan’s words.</p><p>Minho’s focus was still on Jisung and Hyunjin. He couldn’t tell what the omega was thinking, because he wasn’t allowing it to show on his face. Whether he was disappointed in Chan’s decision to hide this, or whether he was understanding like Changbin was, he didn’t know. But if there was one thing he knew about Minho, it was that he was fair and rational. He wouldn’t let his emotions sway his opinion as easily, and in that sense, whatever his stance on the situation was, it was going to be the most unbiased.</p><p>Seungmin looked indecisive, but Changbin knew him well enough to know it wasn’t a bad thing. He was thinking through everything carefully, dissecting the information until he had nothing left before coming to his own conclusions. He was almost certain the alpha had questions, because he <em> always </em> had questions, and he hoped whatever Seungmin wanted to know would help <em> all </em> of them figure things out.</p><p>Jeongin was truly clueless, and Changbin had known that without having to look at him. Jeongin always handled pack disputes similarly. Refusing to take sides, trying his best so sympathize with both of them even if one was clearly in the wrong. Jeongin was always the last to make his decision, and he always <em> hated </em> doing it. Changbin was sure his thoughts were divided as he clung to Chan, and he could only hope this discussion ended as smoothly as they usually did so Jeongin didn’t have to worry so much.</p><p>And as for Hyunjin, Changbin couldn’t tell how he was going to react. He was protective, and that extended to each of them, including Chan. He was going to be eager for answers, and he was going to want to figure things out immediately, but with a panicked Jisung in his arms Changbin wasn’t sure where his head was at.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Jisung finally spoke, his voice shaky and weak. He was still curled up in Hyunjins lap, but he was present and coherent enough to continue.</p><p>“Don’t apologize, Sung,” Chan said softly, “I should be the one apologizing.”</p><p>“I’m sure Channie didn’t mean any harm by not telling us,” Minho stretched out his leg, using his foot to pet Jisung with his toes while throwing Chan a meaningful look. Changbin had instantly felt the tension release in the pack alpha’s body, and he could only assume Chan had seen something reassuring in Minho’s glance, “He was just trying to protect you. He knew this would have eaten you up, Baby.”</p><p>“I know,” Jisung lifted his head to peak at Chan with glossy eyes, “I know you were just trying to help. I’m not mad. I just… I don’t understand I guess.”</p><p>“What don’t you understand?” Chan’s voice was soft, it was always soft when he talked to them. He never got upset or frustrated, never let his emotions control him like the rest of them occasionally fell victim to. He always had so much control over himself, over his wolf, and it made him an excellent pack alpha.</p><p>“It just doesn’t make sense. When I apologized to Felix… he told me it felt <em> good </em>, that he enjoyed it- um- you know, being in subspace?”</p><p>“That’s really good, Sungie,” Minho didn’t point any attention to the alpha’s stuttering as he sent him a smile, “If he enjoyed it, then I think it’s safe to say he didn’t slip into a subdrop like it seemed to Chan. He just has some other stuff going on.”</p><p>“Stuff that makes him look bad enough to resemble a subdrop?” Seungmin’s first question entered the conversation, “Chan, that’s <em> bad </em>.”</p><p>“I know,” Chan sighed, “I just didn’t want to stick my nose where it doesn't belong. But now that things have progressed the way they have…”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Hyunjin still had his arms wrapped tightly around Jisung, and even though his scent was still calming and light, his brows were scrunched up in worry.</p><p>“I’m worried about him.”</p><p>Chan pressed his lips together, taking a deep breath as he tried to wrangle his thoughts together. Each of them were patient. No one pressured him to continue until he was ready, even if the anxious energy in the room was beginning to spread.</p><p>“I said before that I didn’t know what caused him to look like that,” Chan explained, “And I still don’t. He wouldn’t tell me, and I respected that. It’s his decision to keep certain things private. But I can’t get it out of my head. My alpha is still angry at me for letting him leave my office that day. When he was there… my wolf was referring to him as <em> mine </em>.”</p><p>
  <em> Mine. </em>
</p><p>Changbin also felt that way, like his wolf was taking possession of the omega without consideration of his human feelings. He had impulses that he had <em> actually </em> acted upon. Holding Felix’s hand, keeping him bundled up in his jacket and insisting he take it home, trying to donate his entire wardrobe to the omega.</p><p>And Chan had had these thoughts too? He had fought against the pull of his wolf when his wolf had already made the decision for him?</p><p>“He lied to me that day,” Chan continued, “He told me he was okay, even though we <em> both </em> knew that wasn’t true. There was no way to hide it, and he just…”</p><p>Chan cut himself off with a sigh, shaking his head before picking back up, “I know something’s wrong, and I can’t do anything about it. And as more time passes, I regret not stepping in.”</p><p>“I feel the same way,” Changbin blurted out.</p><p>Everyone’s gaze fell on him just seconds after he realized he had spoken aloud. He hadn’t exactly <em> wanted </em> to say anything just yet. His thoughts were still a bit tangled with each other, and his mind was still a little foggy. He would much rather wait just a bit longer, but now that he’s grabbed everyone’s attention he needed to at least try to speak his mind.</p><p>“Like, about my wolf,” He elaborated to the confused faces staring at him, “Uh, I had a similar experience.”</p><p>“Where your wolf was claiming Felix?”</p><p>Changbin nodded back at Chan, swallowing down the nerves that were suddenly clawing their way up his throat, “Yeah, today. I ran into him at the grocery store,” Changbin began his story, detailing how he had nearly finished with his own shopping when he found Felix eyeballing the instant coffee, “I invited him out to lunch. He looked kind of sad and his basket was just… instant rice and ramen noodles.”</p><p>“That’s not healthy,” Seungmin mumbled, and Changbin agreed full heartedly. </p><p>The basket hadn’t even been filled. He sincerely hoped that was only a week's worth of food and not the omega’s grocery haul for the month.</p><p>“That’s all he eats at work too,” Hyunjin added with Jisung nodding along, “Just instant white rice.”</p><p>He shouldn’t have been surprised, after all he did just see Felix buy nothing but white rice and noodles. Of course that’s what he would eat at work, but part of him had hoped that he had a secret stash of healthy foods to eat that Changbin just hadn’t gotten to witness him buying. Felix was a thin person, small and petite in a way he had thought was natural. But now he had a feeling it was due to malnutrition that Felix was as tiny as he was.</p><p>He was so glad he bought him some real food when he had the chance.</p><p>“Bin,” Chan nudged the beta to continue, and Changbin took his queue.</p><p>“We went to that burger place Seungmin and I went to the other week. I bought him lunch and we started talking. We got onto the topic of producing, and he mentioned Jisung showed him a track. When I told him Chan and I also rapped, he asked if he could listen to some of our stuff,” Changbin bit his lip, sparing a glance toward Chan who squeezed his shoulder with a gentle smile.</p><p>“He was fine at first,” Changbin kept his gaze on the ground as he thought back to the events from earlier that day, “I could tell he was enjoying it. He smelled happy, and uh…”</p><p>He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, because now that he was relaying this information to his pack, he wasn’t sure how to properly explain <em> what </em> happened between him and Felix in the restaurant.</p><p>One second, Felix had been listening to the track Changbin was playing into the headphones. The omega had progressively grown more and more entranced by the music, and Changbin was more than a little proud of the way Felix was hanging onto each word. And he could have sworn he smelled a hint of something a little less <em> friendly </em> and a little more <em> intimate </em> coming from the omega.</p><p>But as soon as the scent had become noticeable, as soon as Felix had begun to reveal to him what he really thought of their music, the scent of honey turned sour with fear. He had gone near unresponsive, white as a sheet, and trembled under Changbin’s gaze.</p><p>He didn’t know what caused such a flip so fast.</p><p>“He smelled like what?”</p><p>Changbin blinked, recollecting himself from his thoughts as he brought his attention back to his pack. Minho had been the one to ask, and Changbin realized the omega had leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he watched Changbin try to get his train of thought back in order.</p><p>“Let’s just say he <em> really </em> enjoyed it.”</p><p>It took a few moments for everyone to realize what he was saying.</p><p>“Like, enjoyed it <em> how </em> ?” Jisung asked, almost desperate in the way he was staring at Changbin, “Like did he like the <em> song </em> ? Or did he like the people <em> rapping </em> in the song?”</p><p>“I’m not 100% sure if I’m honest,” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly “I want to think it’s the latter but… I can’t tell. I thought I smelled something from him that suggested he was at the very least <em> interested </em>, or maybe a little attracted to whoever he was listening to in the track, but as soon as I caught it, it disappeared.”</p><p>“It disappeared?” Jeongin quietly interjected, “How does a scent just disappear?”</p><p>“Something happened,” Chan’s response was a guess coded like a statement, and he was completely correct, “Right?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Changbin agreed, “And I have no idea what. One second he was fine, and then he zoned out. Whatever he was feeling before was completely drowned out by fear, and just like with Chan, he kept telling me he was fine.”</p><p>“Fear?” Hyunjin opened his mouth a few times as he tried to get his words out, “What- Why was he scared? You’re like the least scary person ever.”</p><p>“You have no idea what could have caused it?” Chan asked, and Changbin was already shaking his head.</p><p>“No, he was literally listening to the song and then… he was just terrified.”</p><p>Chan nodded solemnly. Changbin could see the calculating look he was wearing, as if he was trying to come to some type of conclusion that could explain why Felix had reacted in such a way. Changbin wished he could offer more, but there was nothing more he knew. He was as lost as the rest of them. It happened so fast, seemingly unprovoked, and Changbin was left without any answers.</p><p>“I walked him home,” He moved to finish his story while the rest of them digested the information, “I gave him my jacket because he was cold, and he went back to normal. He was happy again, if you could believe it. Like what just happened was all a day dream. I held his hand home and I let him keep my jacket even though he tried to return it to me.”</p><p>“And then as I came back home,” Changbin groaned at himself, because now that he was coherent and <em> normal </em> again, he realized how insane he had been earlier, “I went more than a little crazy.”</p><p>“His wolf just took over,” Chan clarified for the confused faces that were trying to keep up with everything, “He got a little possessive. Right?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Changbin confirmed, “My wolf liked that he smelled like me.”</p><p>“So,” Seungmin narrowed his eyes in thought and he scooted himself forward on the couch to sit up straight, “You <em> both </em> felt a possessive instinct towards Felix.”</p><p>“Yes,” Both Chan and Changbin said together.</p><p>“And you two,” Seungmin turned towards Hyunjin and Jisung, “Have you felt anything like this before? Any attachment to Felix?”</p><p>“I mean, kind of?” Hyunjin shrugged, “It wasn’t to the extremes of Chan and Changbin, but I’ve definitely felt a pull towards him.”</p><p>“I have,” Jisung raised his hand. His shaky limbs had gone, replaced with a determined expression, “It’s kind of similar to when I met Jinnie, but also like, not at all.”</p><p>“Oh, <em> please </em> tell me you didn’t fight with Felix,” Chan pinched the top of his nose in exasperation.</p><p>“No!” Jisung was jokingly offended at the accusation, and Changbin couldn’t help but chuckle at the other’s dramatics, “Absolutely not. I can fight with Hyunjin, but I can’t fight with an angel.”</p><p>Hyunjin let out a squawk, but was quickly shushed by Jisung dragging his hand down his face. Hyunjin jumped back in disgust and smacked Jisung’s hand away, “Ew, your finger went in my mouth!”</p><p>“You like it,” Jisung winked back, and Hyunjin groaned, “I do<em> not </em>.”</p><p>“Okay, enough teasing Jinnie,” Chan snapped his fingers to direct the conversation back on topic, then did it again to get Seungmin and Minho to stop laughing. Hyunjin tossed himself back into the cushion, watching Jisung with fake annoyance as the younger alpha settled back against Hyunjin’s chest. And even with Hyunjin pretending to be thoroughly done with Jisung, he still returned to hugging him against his torso like earlier.</p><p>“What happened with Felix?”</p><p>“It’s just during lunch. His coworker, Soobin, doesn’t like me much,” Jisung crossed his arms with a little pout, “I have no idea why, I’ve literally done nothing to him.”</p><p>“Soobin?” Hyunjin reeled back, shooting Jisung a surprised look, “Are you kidding? That guy is one of the softest alphas I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“He doesn’t like me, Jinnie!” Jisung cried as he waved his hands in the air, “I think he thinks I’m gonna steal Felix away or something. And then he leans closer to Felix at the table and Felix doesn’t even <em> notice </em> - I <em> don’t </em> like it.”</p><p>Changbin didn’t have to point out Jisung's possessive thoughts. He had blatantly admitted to having an issue with Felix’s closeness with his coworkers, and considering Jisung had no claim over him, that thought process wasn’t warranted. Just like Chan shouldn’t have thought of Felix as <em> his </em>, just like Changbin shouldn’t have lost his mind because he smelled his scent on Felix. </p><p>“I guess I do kind of notice that,” Hyunjin pondered aloud, “Soobin and Yeonjun stick to Felix all the time. They seem really close.”</p><p>“Yeah, a little <em> too </em> close.”</p><p>“Come on, Sungie,” Minho chastised his behavior with a little flick to the other’s leg. Jisung jerked his leg back with a glare that Minho held steady, “We need to remember Felix isn’t <em> ours </em> to claim.”</p><p>“But… We all <em> want </em> to claim him.”</p><p>Jisung had spoken for all of them, and no one jumped to correct him.</p><p>Because it was true. Four out of seven of them were very much affected by Lee Felix, some more extreme than others, and the other three weren’t going to ignore a potential pack mate. Whether they seeked out Felix or not, their wolves were drawn to the omega. It was bound to become a problem sooner or later, and the longer they pushed them off the more likely someone’s wolf was going to do something stupid.</p><p>“If anyone isn’t interested,” Chan spoke up, his tone serious as he swept his gaze across the room, “Even a little bit. You need to say something now. If you don’t want to try to pursue this, you need to tell us.”</p><p>Changbin held his breath. He hoped, oh <em> god </em> did he hope, that no one would disagree. The breakdown he had earlier was too intense, too heartbreaking to have to <em> pretend </em> that he didn’t care anymore. He couldn’t go back to work acting like his heart wasn’t yearning to see the omega again, couldn’t go to bed without wondering if he could have done something different to keep that scent of fear from surfacing.</p><p>His entire drive back to their apartment he had been struggling to keep himself in check, to hold back just enough to hide out in his studio so no one fell under the effects of his pheromones. He kept the windows up, kept the air circulating in the car so none of it wound up outside, and he drove <em> fast </em>.</p><p>He was too deep already, and he wasn’t sure how it had happened so fast, but he knew it wasn’t going to be easy climbing out.</p><p>“You all like him,” Minho broke the silence, “I can tell it’s more than surface level. And if you like him, then I’ll like him too.”</p><p>Changbin felt the hope rise in his chest, but forced himself to push it down.</p><p>“Me too,” Seungmin added, “I don’t know him yet, but I want to. I want to give this a chance.”</p><p>Everyone turned to Jeongin, expectant and hopeful as the beta shrunk in on himself. He was wringing his hands nervously in his lap, avoiding eye contact as he stared into the wood floor under their feet.</p><p>Changbin didn’t want to pressure him. This was a serious decision, one that affected them all drastically. But he desperately wanted Jeongin to agree. He wanted to see Minho, Seungmin, and Jeongin’s reaction to meeting Felix for the first time. He wanted them to experience the bond he felt with the omega. He wanted them to see just how special he was. He felt his heart jumping, pounding into his ribcage as he waited for Jeongin’s answer.</p><p>“I want to, too” Jeongin exhaled, and none of them could hold back their relieved smiles.</p><p>“So we’re really doing this?” Jisung perked up, his lips quirking into a grin, “We’re gonna court Felix?”</p><p>“Kind of,” Chan held a hand up before Jisung could get too carried away, “It’s a little more complicated than that.”</p><p>“Felix still has something going on,” Chan explained, “Something he doesn’t want us to know about. He’s hiding it for a reason, and we shouldn’t demand answers, but we need to be cautious.”</p><p>“And there’s still Felix’s feelings to consider,” Minho continued for Chan, and when the pack alpha nodded in his direction, the omega took charge, “He’s still a lone wolf who probably has his reservations about dating. He’s going to need time and compassion from all of us, and a lot of patience. Obviously, we have some trust to gain if his not-so-subtle lies about his true wellbeing are enough to judge by. And there’s still three of us that need to officially meet him.”</p><p>“We’ll work on that,” Jisung chimed in with Hyunjin, “We’ll have to step it up at lunch time.”</p><p>“Maybe you guys should invite him to have lunch in my office,” Chan offered, then gave Changbin a knowing smirk, “You can come too. We could all get to know him that way.”</p><p>Changbin flushed at the suggestive expression, then lightly slapped Chan on the shoulder in response.</p><p>“Seungmin and I will have to figure out a way to meet him,” Jeongin said with a gesture towards the alpha, “Same with Minho.”</p><p>“I guess we could all wind up hanging around the company until we run into him,” Seungmin suggested, “I wouldn’t want to overwhelm him, and before we all try to be straightforward with our advances, we should try to just… be his friends first.”</p><p>Changbin felt his skin tingle, eager for things to progress. He tapped his fingers against his knee as the rest of his pack discussed logistics. He tried to listen, because he knew he wanted to know the game plan in all of its entirety, but he couldn't focus on anything other than the realization that this was <em> really happening </em>.</p><p>He had no doubt Seungmin, Jeongin, and Minho were going to fall for Felix just as hard and deep as the rest of them. If four of them were already helplessly obsessed with him, the other three wouldn’t be far behind. He couldn’t wait for them to meet, for them all to grow closer. He wanted to see Minho wrap himself around the other omega, wanted to see Seungmin tangle his fingers in his hair, wanted to see Jeongin press tiny kisses to his cheek.</p><p>He wanted things to go well.</p><p>“I actually have an idea,” Minho announced to the room, “You recently lost your receptionist, didn’t you?”</p><p>“<em> Lost </em>,” Chan scoffed, “I fired her.”</p><p>Changbin snorted to himself while Jisung bitterly mumbled <em> bitch </em> under his breath. Chan shook his head with a smile but didn’t correct Jisung’s language. They all hated her with a passion, they had for a while. And when she stormed up to Chan’s office with her nails impaled in Felix’s forearms, the alpha had been more than happy to terminate her.</p><p>“Okay, you <em> fired </em> your receptionist,” Minho rolled his eyes playfully before he continued, “I want to take over her position.”</p><p>“You want- What?” Jisung raised an eyebrow at the omega, “Why do you want to do that?”</p><p>“It’s an easy way to get to know Felix,” Minho pointed out, “I’ll be closer to him, and I’ll be able to roam about the building if I need to. I can see him more often and get to know him.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Chan asked wearily, “You’re gonna be really busy. You won’t have a lot of time to yourself-”</p><p>“I’ll be fine, Chan,” Minho interrupted before Chan could go further, “Trust me.”</p><p>Chan hesitated for a second, but quickly dropped his reservations, “I trust you.”</p><p>“So,” Jisung drawled out as he looked at each one of them, “We’re doing this?”</p><p>His panic had completely vanished, and instead was an excited ball of energy. He watched them all with hardly contained enthusiasm as he practically vibrated in his skin. He <em> wanted </em> this, so badly. Just like Changbin, just like all of them. </p><p>Minho smiled as he leaned back on the couch, “We’re doing this.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! I had such a hard time this chapter and I don't even know why. I rewrote parts of the last scene over and over again and hated it and ended up rewriting it entirely. I'm still not 100% if I like it or not but I have no idea how to make it any better right now :( it was just... rough lol. But now that it's done: Things are going places! The pack is OFFICIALLY going after Felix now. Respectfully of course :D</p><p>THANK YOU <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinystreetlamp">tinystreetlamp</a> ONCE AGAIN FOR SAVING ME THIS CHAPTER! Best beta ever &lt;3</p><p>My Socials:<br/><a href="https://twitter.com/Reltic_">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_reltic_/">Instagram</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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